WASHINGTON — Limb amputations are performed by surgeons when a traumatic injury, such as a war wound or a car accident, causes extensive tissue destruction or in cases of severe infection or disease. But humans aren’t the only ones who perform such procedures. New research shows that some ants will amputate limbs from injured comrades … Read more
Humans are no longer the only species on Earth that can perform surgery to save lives. A new study says that certain species of ants can not only detect injuries to colony members, but also decide whether amputation surgery is necessary to save that ant’s life. Unlike humans, ants don’t need to go to medical … Read more
Last year, one species of ant was caught using antibiotics. Now, another species has been spotted performing amputations. Researchers have recently confirmed experimentally that this operation and the other treatments ants give each other do indeed save ants’ lives. We’ve known for a few years that ants treat each other’s wounds, but we’re only just … Read more
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific developments and more. CNN — People are not the only ones who can perform amputations to save lives. A new study has found that carpenter ants in Florida bite off the injured limbs of nestmates, depending on the … Read more
Until the discovery of antibiotic drugs in the last century, doctors often performed amputations to save the life of a patient with an infected wound. But humans aren’t the only animals that perform these types of operations on each other. Scientists have discovered that a species of ant native to the southeastern United States also … Read more