The Secret Life of Ants - Brian Fisher

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/07/23/Ants_The_Invisible_Majority_with_Dr_Brian_Fisher

Brian Fisher, entomologist at the California Academy of Sciences, seeks answers to mankind's societal problems by observing the social world of ants. In addition to cattle-herding, Fisher claims ants also "invented farming 50 million years ago." "I think we have something to learn from ants."

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Ants may be tiny, but they play a huge role in their ecosystems. In fact, biologists estimate that the collective weight of all the ants on Earth is equal to the weight of all humans.

In this talk, Dr. Brian Fisher describes the unique behaviors and incredible adaptations of our planet's most charismatic small animals. See how ants farm, hunt and tend "herds of livestock". Learn how primitive Dracula ants feed on their sisters' blood.

Watch the fastest recorded movement of any animal -- a feisty ant with lightening-quick jaws that Dr. Fisher filmed with one of the world's most advanced high-speed cameras. You'll also learn about Dr. Fisher's conservation efforts in Madagascar and gain new respect for our smallest neighbors. - California Academy of Sciences

Brian L. Fisher, Chairman of Entomology at the California Academy of Sciences, is an ant systematist who specializes in the large-scale discovery, description and naming of African and Malagasy ants. In the past few years, he has discovered over 800 new species of ants in Madagascar alone, including the Madagascar Dracula Ant a find that is helping scientists to understand the evolution of ants from wasps. Fisher also maps diversity patterns and uses them to instruct land management and conservation decisions. His inventory work in Africa and Madagascar demonstrates the feasibility and challenges of conducting global biodiversity inventories. He is currently developing technologies for collaborative taxonomy, which will accelerate the process of identification and description of new species with products accessible across a broad community of users (see www.antweb.org). He also has particular interest in the evolution of the early lineages of ants and is dedicated to instructing the next generation of ant systematists.

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[baguazhang2]

What's amazing is that the leaf cutter ants not only invented agriculture; they also invented composting, and were the first to use antibiotics. They can also communicate with their cultivated fungus by means of chemical signals. When the ants bring back a leaf that can't be used by the fungus, the fungus releases a chemical that tells the ants to stop harvesting that particular kind of leaf.

[CharlesVarney]

You had better hide your horses.

[Dorkus89Malorkus]

@MUKHUSINI 1. Learn to spell properly.

[cabdi5463]

fuck ants i hate them 

[rogerthat155]

GUYS ANTS DID SO MUCH BECAUSE THEY ARE TINY. If they're tiny - the world is massive. A whole colony of ants can feed from one biscuit. We have things alot harder than ants, really, in terms of what's available for us. If I shrunk down really small right now I'd cost 1000 billion times less to keep alive and I'm pretty sure the plethora of shit I could experiment on at that size would increase too.

Just stating, ants are small, sure it's fascinating, but we're more impressive :P

[ButtonSwab]

@leimanuia

You could never be more wrong. Evolution took it's course, each animal adapting to it's ever-changing environment to better suit it's needs. I find it hard to believe a man with magic fingers poked each animal into it's shape & such.

[2hot2tell]

I swear when I close my eyes he, Brian Fisher, sounds like he could pull of a great impression of Christopher Walken.

[mrDISASTERzz]

Ants Are awesome.

[KieranEDITS]

5 army ant's disagree with him about moving

[MUKHUSINI]

whoever say that there is no lyf beyond after death he/she is astray?

if u think no lyf hereafter why are u living to day. u shouldn't be here.

it is clear to every human being that we likes to rejoice and comfort no one likes troubles,bt do u think its all over after death ? for sure it's not all over on world there must lyf where we will be judged according to our actions.

[MUKHUSINI]

whoever say that there is no lyf beyond after death he/she is astray?

if u think no lyf hereafter why are u living to day. u shouldn't be here.

it is clear to every human being that we likes to rejoice and comfort no one likes troubles,bt do u think its all over after death ? for sure it's not all over one world there must lyf where we will be judged according to our actions.

[PonchoHumor]

@plutity BAHAHAHAHAHA