Sick young ants release a smell to tell worker ants to destroy them to protect the colony from infection, scientists said Tuesday, adding that queens do not seem to commit this act of self-sacrifice.
  • stelelor@lemmy.caEnglish
    31·
    14 hours ago

    I was going to make fun of the title (which is basically “Sick ants stink, the others don’t like it and make it stop”) but IMO this is the important bit:

    Then, the team conducted an experiment showing that the sick pupae only produce the smell when worker ants are nearby, proving it is a deliberate signal for destruction.

    That does go beyond just smelling bad due to illness.

  • Kami@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    204·
    19 hours ago

    This article is so badly written that is basically unscientific shit and Dr. Dawson (assuming the quotes are her exact words) is a joke of a scientist.

    There is ZERO proof (obviously) that the pupae know a remote fuck of their condition and what’s going to happen to them, let alone caring about “their genes”.

    Unbelievable…

    • pisaguchi@eviltoast.orgEnglish
      17·
      15 hours ago

      Did you read the source? I guess no.

      "Our data suggest the evolution of a finely-tuned signalling system in which it is not the induction of an individual’s immune response, but rather its failure to overcome the infection, that triggers pupal signalling for sacrifice. "

      And as for sciencealert, their goal is to make science accessible to anyone. I think there is nothing wrong with also engaging it in an entertaining way. They also link the sources, so they are much better than other clickbaiters and you can read through original article to verify their writings.

      • Kami@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        12·
        3 hours ago

        The article, as it is, is unscientific bullshit. Period.

        The words of Dr. Watson, as reported in the article, are unscientific bullshit. Period.

        You don’t have to “entertain” when talking about science, you have to inform, because when you make science accessible to everyone in this way, you are spreading ignorance and creating the substratum of pseudoscience, since common people won’t read the paper, or even click on the link. Maybe not even go past the title (which IS clickbait).

        • nullroot@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          2 hours ago

          I mean I agree with the sentiment, but that’s just scientists vying for eyes on their project and hopefully in turn the money to continue research. That’s literally just the way things are done. Don’t hate the player dawg.