Ants outperform humans in this intellectual competition 🐜

Ants and humans share a unique ability to cooperate to carry loads much larger than themselves. A recent study compared their efficiency in navigating a maze with a load, revealing surprising results about collective decision-making.


The team of Prof. Ofer Feinerman designed an experiment to compare the performance of ants and humans in transporting a T-shaped load through a maze. This study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, explores the dynamics of cooperation and group decision-making.

The participants, both humans and ants, had to navigate through a space divided into three chambers connected by narrow passages. The ants, attracted by a fake food source, were tested in groups of different sizes, while humans were voluntarily recruited for the competition.

The results show that humans outperform ants in individual problems due to their strategic planning abilities. However, in groups, ants demonstrated superior efficiency, benefiting from collective memory and flawless coordination.

Human groups, on the other hand, did not show significant improvement in their group performance. When communication was restricted, their efficiency even decreased, revealing a tendency to opt for short-term rather than strategic solutions.

This study highlights the fundamental differences in how ants and humans cooperate. Ants, acting as a superorganism, show cooperation that far surpasses competition, unlike human groups.


The researchers used computer simulations and physical models to analyze the data, offering a new perspective on collective decision-making and the benefits of cooperation in nature.

This research opens avenues for understanding cooperation mechanisms in other species and could inspire innovative approaches to solving complex group problems.

What is collective memory in ants?

Collective memory in ants refers to their ability to share and use information to improve group performance. This memory allows ants to persist in a direction of movement and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Ants communicate primarily through pheromones, chemical substances that convey information about food, dangers, and paths to follow. This chemical communication is essential for coordinating complex tasks like load transport.

Collective memory is an evolutionary advantage that allows ant colonies to function as a superorganism. Each ant contributes to the group's memory, which enhances the colony's efficiency and survival.

This study shows that the collective memory of ants enables them to outperform humans in group tasks, highlighting the importance of cooperation in nature.

How do humans make group decisions?

Group decision-making in humans is influenced by several factors, including communication, power dynamics, and individual preferences. Humans tend to opt for solutions that seem advantageous in the short term, even if they are not optimal in the long term.

In this study, human groups were restricted in their communication to mimic that of ants. This restriction revealed a decrease in performance, showing that communication is crucial for effective decision-making.

Humans also tend to choose 'lowest common denominator' solutions, which are acceptable to the majority but not necessarily the best. This can limit innovation and efficiency in complex tasks.

This research sheds light on the challenges of human cooperation and the differences with other species, offering perspectives for improving group decision-making.