Nova: Little Creatures Who Run The World

We have a lot to learn from ants! Those little critters predate the dinosaurs by 300 million years, outnumber us a million to one, and can rival any superpower--for when ants march together, nothing can stop them. Do insect societies really have the edge on us? Yes, says Edward Wilson of Harvard. His studies comparing the social nature of ants and humans provide answers about what leads to biological success. What is it about the ant way of life that has stood the test of time? The key--for ants--Wilson concludes, is the way they work together. Coordinating behavior through efficient communication can be harnessed into many useful activities, including organized aggression; ants are the greatest insect killers on earth. Indeed, tactical ant warfare has long interested defense analysts. So, ants are robots programmed to benefit the colony. Humans also cooperate...to ensure individual benefit; they form long-term binding social contracts, but in doing so produce a tension between individual success and societal needs. Who, in the long term will prevail? As expected from Nova, this film features magnificent photography and engrossing content. Recommended for all collections. (J. Reed)