Ants learn faster on caffeine
www.newscientist.com
A dose of caffeine helped ants locate a sweet reward 30 per cent faster, suggesting the drug boosts learning in the insects
  • ganksy@lemmy.world
    11·
    6 months ago

    Did they learn faster or just move faster and therefore discover information faster?

    Edit: could have answered my own question with a little reading.

    The ants who received low or moderate doses of caffeine took a more direct path to the sweet treat with each trial, suggesting they had successfully remembered the location of the reward. Ants without caffeine took more meandering paths that did not improve over time. Galante emphasises that this isn’t about making the ants move faster, but more efficiently: caffeine had no impact on the ants’ pace but did reduce the twists and turns they took to get there.<

    • GluWu@lemm.ee
      3·
      6 months ago

      So I guess learning is just a fundamental concept here but my question is if the more direct paths are due to anything other than addiction. Feed the ants caffeine in their nest and see if the paths to non-caffeinated sugar are as direct as those trying to locate caffeinated sugar sources. Also tests other addictive as well as stimulating substances.

      How do I get a job giving drugs to ants?