November 23, 2009
Ants Help the Military to Improve Their
Techniques
Researcher studies ant trails in order to help plan troop
movements on the battlefield.
Ants Help the Military to Improve Their
Techniques
Researcher studies ant trails in order to help plan troop
movements on the battlefield.
SUMMARY: Ants are noted for their ability to find the shortest path from nest to
food source. They do this by laying down a chemical trail as they walk. At first,
the ants wander randomly as they look for food. Because the chemical
evaporates gradually, the ants who find the food the soonest will have the
shortest paths with the strongest chemical presence. The ants use the chemical
to converge on the most efficient route to the food.
Now a U. of Granada researcher, Mora Garcia, has designed a system that
uses this behavior to help plan troop movements on the battlefield, and it has
caught the interest of the Spanish army. Garcia has developed formulas for
choosing the best route for troops in particular environments, maximizing speed
of movement while minimizing casualties. Computer simulations of the ant
problem-solving process take into account factors such as enemy presence,
battlefield settings, and location of troops. Then the mini-simulator software
executes the formulas and analyzes the results. The idea is that troops could
follow a computer-provided solution while skipping the "random walk" stage.
Scientists say the simulator might also be useful to solve non-military problems
such as finding the most efficient path for a sales agent to visit clients, or for
distributing goods.
(Photo from Wikimedia Commons)
To read the entire article, click on this link to WORLD SCIENCE.
COMMENT: Here is another example of biomimicry--the use of features found
in nature to inspire human inventions and technologies. (For many other
examples of biomimicry, such as the invention of velcro, click on this link to the
LSI Journal.)
The implications of biomimicry in the evolution/creation and intelligent design
arguments are obvious. Humans are supposed to be the most highly evolved
creatures on this planet. Yet we so often end up going to such “primitive”
organisms as burrs and ants for features and ideas we haven’t been smart
enough to evolve or consider on our own, and that does seems strange.
Isn’t it more reasonable to believe than a Supreme Designer has given to
lifeforms the various ingenious features they enjoy for their benefit and
survival? For humans, that means we have intelligent and inventive minds. We
haven’t been born with wings, but we have invented airplanes with wings to
help us fly. We haven’t been born with sonar like bats, but by using our mental
capacities we have invented our own sonar.
It is useful at times to look to nature for help in assisting us in our present lives,
but nature can’t help us when it comes to planning for our future existence. For
this, we need to look at God’s Word, the Holy Bible, where we learn that our
futures in Paradise are guaranteed if we allow Jesus Christ to be our substitute
and suffer the punishment that we deserve.
**************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
**************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What amazing event occurred in the life of a man named Tony Cicoria?
**************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including those
containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
**************************************************************************************
food source. They do this by laying down a chemical trail as they walk. At first,
the ants wander randomly as they look for food. Because the chemical
evaporates gradually, the ants who find the food the soonest will have the
shortest paths with the strongest chemical presence. The ants use the chemical
to converge on the most efficient route to the food.
Now a U. of Granada researcher, Mora Garcia, has designed a system that
uses this behavior to help plan troop movements on the battlefield, and it has
caught the interest of the Spanish army. Garcia has developed formulas for
choosing the best route for troops in particular environments, maximizing speed
of movement while minimizing casualties. Computer simulations of the ant
problem-solving process take into account factors such as enemy presence,
battlefield settings, and location of troops. Then the mini-simulator software
executes the formulas and analyzes the results. The idea is that troops could
follow a computer-provided solution while skipping the "random walk" stage.
Scientists say the simulator might also be useful to solve non-military problems
such as finding the most efficient path for a sales agent to visit clients, or for
distributing goods.
(Photo from Wikimedia Commons)
To read the entire article, click on this link to WORLD SCIENCE.
COMMENT: Here is another example of biomimicry--the use of features found
in nature to inspire human inventions and technologies. (For many other
examples of biomimicry, such as the invention of velcro, click on this link to the
LSI Journal.)
The implications of biomimicry in the evolution/creation and intelligent design
arguments are obvious. Humans are supposed to be the most highly evolved
creatures on this planet. Yet we so often end up going to such “primitive”
organisms as burrs and ants for features and ideas we haven’t been smart
enough to evolve or consider on our own, and that does seems strange.
Isn’t it more reasonable to believe than a Supreme Designer has given to
lifeforms the various ingenious features they enjoy for their benefit and
survival? For humans, that means we have intelligent and inventive minds. We
haven’t been born with wings, but we have invented airplanes with wings to
help us fly. We haven’t been born with sonar like bats, but by using our mental
capacities we have invented our own sonar.
It is useful at times to look to nature for help in assisting us in our present lives,
but nature can’t help us when it comes to planning for our future existence. For
this, we need to look at God’s Word, the Holy Bible, where we learn that our
futures in Paradise are guaranteed if we allow Jesus Christ to be our substitute
and suffer the punishment that we deserve.
**************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
**************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What amazing event occurred in the life of a man named Tony Cicoria?
**************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including those
containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
**************************************************************************************
1 Comment
patrick winkler, p.e. said...The explanation to the Third article says, "I
believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my
Lord." Does that speak against "... more reasonable to believe..." and "... if we
allow Jesus Christ ..."?
patrick winkler, p.e. said...The explanation to the Third article says, "I
believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my
Lord." Does that speak against "... more reasonable to believe..." and "... if we
allow Jesus Christ ..."?
| LSI stands for the Lutheran Science Institute, an organization of WELS and ELS Lutherans interested in science and health issues with a special emphasis on the creation and evolution controversy. This blog's purpose is to search the Internet to find articles of interest to Christians. Views expressed are those of the author (Warren Krug) and are not necessarily those of the Lutheran Science Institute, Inc. |
Not particularly adept in the area of music,
Cicoria was struck by lightning at the age of
42. Now he is a gifted classical pianist and
composer, talents that apparently are
traced to his accident.
Source: Discover (December, 2009)
Cicoria was struck by lightning at the age of
42. Now he is a gifted classical pianist and
composer, talents that apparently are
traced to his accident.
Source: Discover (December, 2009)