Scientists spot ‘superorganism' in the wild for the first time — and it's made of worms
For the first time ever, scientists have observed a group of tiny worms called
nematodes
forming a strange 'living tower' in nature. This kind of behaviour is known as forming 'superorganism' which had only been seen in laboratory experiments before — never in nature.
This exciting discovery was made by researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the University of Konstanz in Germany while studying decaying fruit like apples and pears in local orchards. They were shocked to see the worms pile up into small towers and move together like one big creature.
Nematode towers: How worms work together to move
These worm towers were made mostly by a special life stage of the nematode called the dauer stage. In this phase, worms are not feeding, but they can survive in tough environments for long periods. Scientists believe these dauer worms were working together to build the towers as a way to escape rotting fruit and search for a new, better place to live.
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Originally, experts thought this type of tower-building was a form of competition, where each worm tried to reach the top for its own benefit. But the new findings suggest the opposite — the worms were cooperating, acting more like a team than rivals.
According to Live Science, the footage of the same was captured by researchers in Konstanz, Germany, on fallen apples and pears at local orchards. The team from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (MPI-AB) and the University of Konstanz were then able to combine these images with follow-up laboratory experiments to demonstrate that the 'towering' behavior happens naturally, and that the worms engage in such behaviour as a means of mass transit
Unexpected teamwork of tiny worms in nature, for the first time
This kind of behavior is known as forming a 'superorganism' — when many individuals join forces and behave as one single being. It's something seen in other animals too, like fire ants, which build bridges and rafts out of their own bodies, or slime molds, which merge into one big moving blob to find food.
The researchers say this shows even very simple creatures like worms can work together in clever and surprising ways. By acting as a group, the worms increase their chances of surviving in harsh environments and reaching new habitats.
The discovery opens the door to learning more about
group behavior in small organisms
and could even help scientists understand the early steps of how teamwork and social behavior evolved in nature.
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