https://phys.org/news/2018-11-ant-colonies-molecular-machines-swarming.html

In the new study, a team led by CU Boulder's Franck Vernerey set out to lay out the engineering principles that underlie these all-ant structures—specifically, how they become so flexible, changing their shapes and consistencies within seconds. The group used statistical mechanics to calculate the way that ant colonies respond to stresses from the outside, shifting how they hang onto their neighbors based on key thresholds.

The findings may also help researchers understand other "dynamic networks" in nature, including cells in the human body, said Vernerey, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.