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Dec. 31, 2010
When Leaf-cutters Can't Cut It
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Leaf-cutter ants rely on their razor-sharp mandibles to cut leaves to pieces. But over time, their mandibles dull. Physicist Robert Schofield, of the University of Oregon, looked at what happens when the aging ants struggle with their snipping. He and his colleagues found they take on a new job.
FEATURED READING
Brilliant Blunders
by Mario Livio
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