THE ASTEROID THAT KILLED THE DINOSAURS MAY HAVE HELPED ANTS TAKE OVER 🐜☄️

Apparently, the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago also helped create something else...

A LOT more ants.

New research suggests ants went through a huge evolutionary boom following the asteroid impact, eventually helping lead to the more than 15,000 ant species we have today.

Scientists studied the DNA of 163 ant species and discovered bursts of activity from so-called “jumping genes.”

Basically, these are pieces of DNA that can move around within the genome, creating genetic changes that may help species adapt and evolve.

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Researchers believe these jumping genes helped ants develop things like improved smell and taste receptors, which are incredibly important because ants use chemicals to communicate and navigate their environment.

Combine those genetic changes with a planet suddenly full of new ecological opportunities after the mass extinction…

And ants basically said:

“Sorry about the dinosaurs, but is anyone using this?”

Millions of years later, ants are practically everywhere. So technically, dinosaurs lost the planet to an asteroid. Ants saw a real-estate opportunity.