Have you ever wondered how some animals build their homes? Termites, prairie dogs, and humans are all amazing builders, each with their own unique style. But they all face a similar problem: when a group of them is in a closed space, they need to find a way to get fresh air. In our tallest skyscrapers and deepest mines, engineers use big machines to bring in fresh air and remove the stale air. But how do animals like termites and ants solve this problem?
Termite mounds are like nature’s skyscrapers. Some can be over 10 meters high! Instead of housing people, these mounds are like giant farms. Termites collect wood to grow fungus, which they eat. But this process creates a lot of carbon dioxide, which can be dangerous if it builds up. So, how do they keep the air fresh?
The termite mound works like a big lung. During the day, the sun heats the outer parts of the mound faster than the inside, causing air to move up the outside and down the center. At night, the airflow reverses. This constant movement of air helps exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen through tiny holes in the mound’s walls. Amazingly, termites build these complex structures without a leader, relying on their instincts and teamwork.
Leafcutter ants are also impressive farmers. One colony in South America covered nearly 50 square meters and had over 8 million ants! Unlike termites, these ants build their colonies underground, reaching depths of 8 meters. So, how do they ventilate their underground farms?
Here’s a fun experiment: take a piece of paper, hold it under your lips, and let one end curl down. Blow across the top of the paper. You might think the air would push the paper down, but it actually lifts it. This happens because of something called the Coandă effect, where air moving over a surface pulls other air along with it, creating low pressure and lifting the paper.
Ants use a similar trick. When a breeze blows over a hill, it pulls air out of the ant hill, just like blowing over the paper. The ants build lower entrances nearby to let fresh air in, keeping their colony well-ventilated with just a gentle breeze.
Prairie dogs use a similar method with their mounds. Breezes over taller hills draw air through their tunnels, ensuring fresh air circulates throughout their community. Even tiny shrimp use this principle to keep fresh water flowing through their burrows.
For centuries, architects in Persia and Egypt have used similar designs to cool buildings. But these animals have been using this natural technology for millions of years. Nature is full of expert animal architects, showing us that sometimes the most complex problems can be solved by evolution’s ingenious designs.
If you’re curious to learn more, edX offers free learning opportunities from top universities like Harvard and MIT. You can explore courses on architecture, artificial intelligence, data science, and more. Check out Harvard’s Architectural Imagination course to see how architecture is both a cultural expression and a technical achievement. Visit edx.org to discover a world of free online learning!
Using clay or playdough, build a model of a termite mound. Pay attention to the structure and include features like the outer walls and central chimney. Once completed, explain to your classmates how the mound functions to ventilate air, mimicking the natural process termites use.
Conduct the paper experiment described in the article. Hold a piece of paper under your lips and blow across the top. Observe how the paper lifts. Discuss with your classmates how this principle helps leafcutter ants ventilate their underground colonies.
Using materials like cardboard tubes and paper, design a model of a prairie dog tunnel system. Ensure your design includes features that allow for natural ventilation. Present your model to the class and explain how air circulation is achieved.
Choose an animal mentioned in the article (e.g., termites, ants, prairie dogs) and research more about their building techniques. Create a short presentation or poster to share your findings with the class, highlighting how these animals solve ventilation problems.
Research modern architectural designs that have been inspired by nature, such as buildings that use natural ventilation. Share your findings with the class, discussing how architects have learned from animals like termites and ants to create sustainable buildings.
This episode is supported by edX. Termites, prairie dogs, and humans are all remarkable builders, each in their own way. However, we all face a common challenge: when a group of us is in a closed space, breathing in oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide, it can lead to problems. Our tallest skyscrapers and deepest mines are often isolated from outside air. To prevent suffocation, engineers use large machines to bring in fresh air and expel stale air.
Termite mounds encounter a similar issue. The largest mounds can reach over 10 meters high, which is comparable to a skyscraper that is three and a half kilometers tall! Instead of housing offices or apartments, these mounds serve as vast farms. Termites collect wood, which grows fungus that they consume. The decomposition process produces a significant amount of carbon dioxide, which could suffocate the colony and their crops if it accumulates. To maintain fresh air, the mound functions like a large lung. During the day, the sun heats the outer chambers more quickly than the core, causing air to move up the outside and down the center. At night, this airflow reverses as the outer chambers cool. Throughout this process, carbon dioxide and oxygen are exchanged through tiny openings in the outer walls. Remarkably, this entire structure is built without a central leader; it is the result of instinct and cooperation among the termites, allowing them to create large ventilation systems powered solely by daily temperature changes.
Leafcutter ants also engage in large-scale fungus farming. One colony in South America spanned nearly 50 square meters and housed over 8 million ants! Unlike the towering termite mounds, the ant colonies extend 8 meters underground. So, how do they ventilate their agricultural city? Before we explore that, try this: take a piece of paper, hold it under your lips, and let one end curl down. If you blow across the top of the paper, what do you think will happen? The air hitting the paper should push it down, right? Actually, here’s what occurs: Air behaves like a fluid. When I blow across the top of the paper, that stream pulls other air along due to viscosity, which is similar to the friction of fluids. This creates an area of low pressure behind the paper, causing it to be lifted. This phenomenon is known as the Coandă effect.
Now, how does this relate to ants? When a breeze flows over a hill, the air is deflected over the top, pulling additional air along, much like when I blew over the paper. This action draws air out of the ant hill, and the ants construct lower entrances nearby to allow fresh air to flow in, effectively ventilating the entire colony with just a gentle breeze. Prairie dogs benefit from a similar effect with their mounds; breezes over taller hills draw air through their interconnected tunnel systems, ensuring fresh air circulation throughout their community. There’s even a tiny shrimp that utilizes this same principle to maintain fresh water flow through its burrows.
Persian and Egyptian architects have employed similar designs to cool buildings for centuries, but these small animals have been using this technology for millions of years. Nature is filled with species that construct their environments to meet their needs, showcasing countless expert animal architects. Sometimes, the most complex engineering challenges can be addressed through the incredible power of evolution, providing us with a breath of fresh air. Stay curious!
Thanks to edX, our non-profit partner for sponsoring this episode. edX.org offers free learning opportunities from Harvard, MIT, and other universities worldwide. If you enjoyed this video, consider checking out Harvard’s Architectural Imagination course, led by Professor Michael Hays. This online course teaches you to view architecture as both a cultural expression and a technical achievement, bringing you closer to the work of real architects and historians through hands-on exercises and historical examples. edX.org provides university-level courses in a variety of subjects, from artificial intelligence to leadership, data science to robotics, and cybersecurity. There are even courses from my alma mater, the University of Texas! edX.org puts a universe of free online learning at your fingertips. Visit edx.org today to discover the courses that will keep you engaged in learning!
Termite – A small insect that feeds on wood and can cause damage to wooden structures – Termites play a crucial role in the ecosystem by breaking down dead wood and recycling nutrients.
Ants – Social insects that live in colonies and work together to gather food and protect their nest – Ants are known for their ability to lift objects many times their own weight, showcasing their incredible strength and teamwork.
Airflow – The movement of air, often used in engineering to describe how air moves through spaces or around objects – Engineers design buildings with proper airflow to ensure efficient ventilation and comfort for the occupants.
Carbon – A chemical element that is the basis of all known life and is found in all organic compounds – Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis to produce energy and oxygen.
Oxygen – A chemical element that is essential for respiration in most living organisms – Oxygen is released by plants during photosynthesis and is vital for the survival of animals and humans.
Ventilation – The process of supplying fresh air and removing stale air from an indoor space – Proper ventilation in a laboratory is important to ensure that harmful chemicals do not accumulate in the air.
Architecture – The design and structure of buildings, often considering both aesthetic and functional aspects – The architecture of termite mounds is studied by engineers to develop sustainable building designs that regulate temperature naturally.
Evolution – The process by which different kinds of living organisms develop and diversify from earlier forms over generations – The evolution of the giraffe’s long neck is believed to be an adaptation for reaching high leaves in trees.
Instinct – An innate behavior or response that is not learned but is present from birth – Birds have an instinct to migrate long distances to find food and suitable climates during different seasons.
Teamwork – The combined effort of a group to achieve a common goal, often seen in social animals – The teamwork of ants allows them to build complex colonies and efficiently gather food resources.
