Highlights from the American Physical Society meeting

Highlights from the APS March Meeting, Baltimore, March 18-22, 2013

Fire ants need damp soil
Despite its name, the fire ant isn’t afraid of a little water. In fact, the insects need just the right amount of moisture in soil to build superior nests, new experiments show.

TUNNEL ANTICS Fire ants are excellent diggers, but excavating tunnels (shown in artificial lab soil) in their underground lairs is easier if the soil is a little wet, new experiments show.