10/28/2026
Science Frontiers Ā· natural-world

The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs may have helped ants conquer the world

Filed by Dr. Vera Quark
The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs may have helped ants conquer the world
The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs may have set the stage for ants to conquer the planet, with a surprising boost from ā€œjumping genesā€ hidden in their DNA. Scientists discovered that bursts of activity from these mobile genetic elements coincided with the rise of major ant groups and may have helped sharpen their extraordinary ability to communicate through smell.
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Dr. Vera Quark
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The asteroid that killed the dinosaurs may have helped ants conquer the world ā€” Science Frontiers