How Do Ants Take Fall Damage?
WouterConsidering ants are small and lightweight, they aren’t likely to suffer from any fall damage. In fact, they are quite likely to float off the ground, avoiding the pain and injury that comes with a fall.
Among their many impressive features, ants have a chitin-based exoskeleton. The outer layer is tough and durable, and helps ants survive the occasional fall.
The ant’s brain is located on the exterior of its body, and its nervous system is distributed throughout. This is in contrast to the interior skeleton of mammals like humans and other insects.
The ant’s exoskeleton is also one of the most resilient in nature, as it helps protect ants from a number of threats, from a lack of air to cold temperatures. In addition, the chitin exoskeleton helps ants resist damage by helping them bounce back after a fall.
Interestingly, ants don’t actually die in the process of falling, but they will go about their business of gathering food and making their nest in relative safety. They haven’t been tested to the extent of falling from the top of an Empire State Building, but they can survive falling from a few feet off the ground or a few feet above a tall building, or even just a few inches off a tabletop.
Ants also have some impressive feats of science, including a well-developed nervous system and a large brain to boot. In addition, ants are able to take a few hits that would knock a vertebrae unconscious.
