Comments on: THE SOLUTION TO Weekly Challenge 1: A Pound of Ants and the Capabilities of Intelligent Biomass http://blogontheuniverse.org/2009/06/01/the-solution-to-weekly-challenge-1-a-pound-of-ants-and-the-capabilities-of-intelligent-biomass/ getting anyone emotional about science, helping parents and teachers make science an adventure Wed, 07 Dec 2011 03:54:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Rob Carr http://blogontheuniverse.org/2009/06/01/the-solution-to-weekly-challenge-1-a-pound-of-ants-and-the-capabilities-of-intelligent-biomass/comment-page-1/#comment-330 Rob Carr Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:47:48 +0000 http://blogontheuniverse.org/?p=2273#comment-330 I for one welcome our Formic overlords! The estimate for the number of ants I found was multiple orders of magnitude higher than the one you found--it didn't seem reasonable and there weren't references. You tracked down a much more logical estimate. Whether you count individuals or mass, ants outnumber/ outmass us. It is not our numbers or our mass that makes us the dominant species on the planet. It's our ability to amplify our abilities using tools that makes the difference. I for one welcome our Formic overlords!

The estimate for the number of ants I found was multiple orders of magnitude higher than the one you found–it didn’t seem reasonable and there weren’t references. You tracked down a much more logical estimate.

Whether you count individuals or mass, ants outnumber/ outmass us. It is not our numbers or our mass that makes us the dominant species on the planet. It’s our ability to amplify our abilities using tools that makes the difference.

]]> By: DrJeff http://blogontheuniverse.org/2009/06/01/the-solution-to-weekly-challenge-1-a-pound-of-ants-and-the-capabilities-of-intelligent-biomass/comment-page-1/#comment-329 DrJeff Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:15:51 +0000 http://blogontheuniverse.org/?p=2273#comment-329 HI Rob- Tried to track down the global biomass of ants, but lots of sources and estimates. Here is as good a source as any, with cited references. Total biomass of ants is 9 to 90 times the total human biomass. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass_(ecology) You can also see that Antarctic Krill represent 5 times the human biomass. HI Rob-
Tried to track down the global biomass of ants, but lots of sources and estimates. Here is as good a source as any, with cited references. Total biomass of ants is 9 to 90 times the total human biomass. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomass_(ecology) You can also see that Antarctic Krill represent 5 times the human biomass.

]]> By: Rob Carr http://blogontheuniverse.org/2009/06/01/the-solution-to-weekly-challenge-1-a-pound-of-ants-and-the-capabilities-of-intelligent-biomass/comment-page-1/#comment-328 Rob Carr Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:24:42 +0000 http://blogontheuniverse.org/?p=2273#comment-328 Jeff, What's the biomass of ants on Earth and how does that compare to the mass of humans on Earth? I came up with a number, but I'm not sure I trust it. I was trying to do it on my iPhone while watching the Steelers lose to KC. Jeff,

What’s the biomass of ants on Earth and how does that compare to the mass of humans on Earth?

I came up with a number, but I’m not sure I trust it. I was trying to do it on my iPhone while watching the Steelers lose to KC.

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