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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=765390305-05042009><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Thanks for this refreshing and post Spike. Good to
read something other than the arms, punishment and creationist
posts!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org
[mailto:extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org] <B>On Behalf Of
</B>spike<BR><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, April 04, 2009 5:00 PM<BR><B>To:</B> 'ExI
chat list'<BR><B>Subject:</B> [ExI] ants again<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=176565320-04042009></SPAN><SPAN class=176565320-04042009><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=176565320-04042009><FONT face=Arial size=2>Earlier I had
described an ant experiment, the double straw, which I am now pretty sure will
fail even before I try it. Ants and humans are two species that have
externalized a great deal of knowledge, humans with our libraries and internet,
ants with their mysterious chemical repertoire of instincts so eloquently
described by Darwin in chapter 7 of OoS.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=176565320-04042009><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=176565320-04042009><FONT face=Arial size=2>As a preliminary
step to the double straw, we could set up the double hole experiment in which
the ants are allowed to set up their aphid farms in the tree using a paper
bridge over the goo. The bridge has goo barriers with two
adjacent holes large enough for one ant to pass easily but not large enough for
two to squeeze by each other. The holes would be about two mm diameter and
about four mm center to center. The experiment is to see if the ants
can figure out a way to make one hole the in and the other one the out.
The holes are circumscribed by a goo ring so the ants cannot go around the
holes. It's thru the holes or no access to the aphids.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=176565320-04042009><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=176565320-04042009><FONT face=Arial size=2>Anyone wish to
speculate on whether the ants will split their lines and form two one-way
holes, thereby reaching their aphids relatively impeded, or whether they will
get in each other's way in both holes. Do state your
reasoning.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=176565320-04042009><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=176565320-04042009><FONT face=Arial size=2>Humanity is in so
many ways analogous to the ants, where a little more profound insight could
make the whole process work better. I hope the ants figure out how to make
one in-door and one out-door, but I fear they will not do it. See sketch
below:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=176565320-04042009><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=176565320-04042009><FONT face=Arial
size=2>spike</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
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