February 12, 2019
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Prof. Mahadevan and PhD student, Alexander Heyde, developed a simple model that shows how differences in the environment lead to the distinct morphologies of termite mounds in Asia, Australia, Africa, and South America. The model not only demonstrates the link between environmental physics and animal behavior to create complex structures in nature, but also sheds light on the question of swarm intelligence, and may assist with designing more sustainable human architecture. Harvard SEAS News featuring a video.
How the centimeter-sized termite is able to build meter-sized structures all over the world has long puzzled scientists. In a new study published in