Do Ants Have Autism?
WouterWhether ants have autism, or not, may depend on your definition of the term. Although they do not have any real consciousness, some ants have the ability to process internal representations of experiences. And like some other animals, they are capable of problem solving under new circumstances. And they are able to perform great feats in art and music.
One of the most interesting traits of ants is their ability to smell. Their antennae are covered with chemical receptors that make them highly sensitive to odors. They use these receptors to communicate with other ants and they have an entire language built out of odors.
Another interesting trait is the ability to memorize visual images. They can store these images in their cells and they are also able to process them simultaneously. But, they don’t have the ability to transfer information between sensory channels, like snakes do. And they also can’t anticipate the reappearance of their prey. And they don’t have the same ability to do flexible problem solving, like the autistic savant. And their ability to do complex problem solving is very similar to the autistic savant, but they don’t have the other consciousness of the autistic savant.
So, while there is still some debate on whether ants have autism, there is no real evidence to support this. It may be that they have more of a fragmented consciousness than other animals, but it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what this might be.
