TIL How scientists shave ants, and also the ant hair has very cool reflective properties.
TIL How scientists shave ants, and also the ant hair has very cool reflective properties.
Ant hair is about 98% reflective, and is very similar to how fiber optics work. SEM images in the link for fellow nerds.
On shaving ants:
Speaking to MailOnline, Willot confirmed this 'was indeed a tricky procedure. They are very reactive and won't stop struggling once caught, preventing any shaving attempt if not anaesthetised.'
This was done by exposing the ants for a few seconds to carbon dioxide, then strapping them down firmly.
Hairs were removed using a high-power binocular telescope and a very sharp blade.
'It's the same as shaving your own chin: the scalpel blade has to move in the opposite direction of the hair's growth. It has to be a delicate and gentle motion,' said Willot.
After practising on large soldier ants, he found that a smaller worker ant could be entirely shaved in an hour of delicate work.
He estimates around 40 ants were shaved altogether to produce seven good examples for the experiments.
"He shaved 40 ants" may be one of the most unhinged sentences I've said all week while I told this story to my partner.
And it took AN HOUR per ant AFTER getting the process down. This person spent over an entire work week shaving ants.
I'm just imagining dinner conversation with their partner that week discussing their progress for the day.
Further proof that grad school makes people weird
Mine is still confused 😂
"'It's the same as shaving your own chin: the scalpel blade has to move in the opposite direction of the hair's growth. It has to be a delicate and gentle motion,' said Willot."
You should not shave against the grain. It causes razor burn and in-grown hairs.
Can’t they find a dead ant to use instead of using anesthesia?
I like this mental image of a scientist meticulously combing the grass with a magnifying class for an already dead ant