Ants are often admired for their teamwork and organization, but scientists say one of their most remarkable achievements has been happening quietly for millions of years. Long before humans began keeping livestock, certain ants had already mastered a farming system of their own.
According to a research review published in the journal Current Biology by researchers Aniek B.F. Ivens and Daniel J.C. Kronauer, ants have spent at least 35 million years tending aphids in a mutually beneficial partnership. The study explains how this ancient relationship has endured through evolution and why both species continue to depend on one another.
