Story perspectives

Model predicts ant bursts after critical density threshold

8/11/2026

Summary

Story summary

Simon Garnier, Michael Napoli and Maurizio Porfiri created a model that predicts ant colonies synchronize bursts after a critical threshold.
The model has three states—active, inactive, refractory—and needs enough speed, density or interaction range for cascades.
Simulations show bursts disappear with slow movement or few encounters, persisting only above the threshold.
They will test the model in labs to assess if bursts speed information, though benefits are unknown.

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Story summary

Simon Garnier, Michael Napoli and Maurizio Porfiri created a model that predicts ant colonies synchronize bursts after a critical threshold.
The model has three states—active, inactive, refractory—and needs enough speed, density or interaction range for cascades.
Simulations show bursts disappear with slow movement or few encounters, persisting only above the threshold.
They will test the model in labs to assess if bursts speed information, though benefits are unknown.