"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
21 Oct 2019
Researchers in Germany have declared that the Saharan silver ant ( scientific name: Cataglyphis bombycina) is the fastest of all known ant species. It can run at incredible speeds clocking nearly a metre per second.
In other words, it can be said that the tiny creature covers 108 times its own body length per second! There exist only two other creatures on the planet that can accomplish this feat- the Australian tiger beetle and the California coastal mite.
It would be interesting to know that if the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt had to cover 100 times his body length as quickly, it would mean he would have to sprint the 200-metre dash in less than a second.
One more interesting fact as reported by the researchers is that the Saharan silver ant gains top speed when it runs during midday across desert sands that reach 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit). However, it was noticed that when the temperature dropped to a chilly 10 degree C the ant slowed down by more than a third.
In spite of shorter legs, the Saharan silver ant easily outpaces its close competitor Cataglyphis fortis. It was found that the Saharan ant switches from running to a gallop, with all six feet off the ground at regular intervals when it is at its fastest.
