Ants can help us with our commutes

Ants are exceptionally talented at avoiding traffic jams, according to research published in the journal eLife. On their way to and from food sources, colonies of worker ants know to slow their speed, take alternate routes and even block other ants from proceeding to keep traffic moving. Why can’t humans do the same? Unlike ants, humans driving to work operate based on self-interest, rather than the interest of an entire colony. Understanding how ants work together may prove useful to those developing autonomous vehicles that can coordinate in traffic.