What If Ants Were the Size of Dogs?
WouterApparently, ants aren’t the size of dogs. Besides, ants aren’t really big cats. They aren’t as fast as a small dog, they don’t have a circulatory system, and they can’t run very fast.
In fact, if you scaled an ant up to human size, it would probably die. That’s because ants don’t have a circulatory system like vertebrates do. They’d suffocate from lack of oxygen. They’d also lose a lot of water. And they’d be incredibly hot.
However, researchers don’t understand why insects don’t get bigger. They don’t know what biological basis they use to regulate their body size.
They’ve been known to carry artificial large objects, but they’re generally pretty small. For example, 100 ants can carry around eight centimeters of diameter. However, ants can only carry around 10-50 times their body weight.
If they were bigger, they’d probably have to carry larger objects. They’d need more trachea. They’d also need more room for their muscles.
They’d also have to find larger food sources. They’d have to travel long distances. And they’d have to deal with a lot of punishment. They’d be attacked by lions and elephants. They’d have to destroy a lot of forests. They’d also have to defend themselves against any perceived threat. They’d have to build their nests underground.
The ants are also known to have chemical signals they use to communicate. They’ll leave a chemical trail for other ants to follow. They can also find openings and drains.
