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One by one, the ants march in front of you. When you look down at them from human height,

it may seem like they follow each other in a precisely straight line. But being the same

size as they are, you notice this isn't quite the case. Occasionally one might veer a little to

the left and another a little to the right. But somehow they correct their deviation

from the path, and all get to the same place in about the same amount of time. It's an act of

wordless coordination that they carry out using ferrimones. These are the scents that pioneering ants

leave behind to mark the way for their followers. The next ants to come along can add their own

sense to the original path. They can leave behind messages, saying things like, yes, I

went this way. Or watch out if need be. To others who follow in their footsteps, the yes

scent feels right. In contrast, the watch out scent isn't bad, but it just feels off. A bit

like hearing a scratchy record when you expect crystal clear sound. They do this so that a path

that leads somewhere good gets reinforced over time, and more ants in the colony know to go there too.

A less helpful path will soon get drowned out, slowly fading away until it's forgotten.

As your eyes follow this particular line of ants, you notice that some are going a different

direction from the others. That's because these ants are on a constant search for resources and

new places to nest. These little creatures don't stop when they encounter an obstacle.

For example, a barrier like a tree trunk might require them to turn first one way.

Then back the other, and then a third way if they want to get where they're going.

...