Building a digital ant gallery, from the ground up - Science Friday Recap

Podcast: Science Friday

Published: 2026-03-19

Duration: 759

Guests: Dr. Julian Katzke

What Happened

In the episode, Flora Lichtman discusses the Antscan project with Dr. Julian Katzke, a postdoc at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The project has successfully generated high-resolution x-ray images of over 2,000 ants from more than 700 species, revealing intricate details such as the tiny hairs on their bodies and individual muscle fibers.

Dr. Katzke elaborates on the significance of studying ant mouthparts, which vary greatly among species and are crucial for their daily activities. He uses the example of the South American army ant, whose soldiers have fierce, fish hook-like mandibles capable of stapling a wound.

The images produced by Antscan are derived from x-ray technology similar to hospital CT scans, but with much higher resolution, achieved using a synchrotron light source in Germany. This technology allows researchers to capture detailed 3D volumes of ants, providing insight into both external and internal anatomies.

A specialized vial-swapping robot and a high-speed camera enable the team to scan ants rapidly, with each imaging process taking only about 30 seconds. This efficiency contrasts sharply with laboratory microsets, which can take 8 to 12 hours per ant.

The Antscan data is freely accessible, and Dr. Katzke hopes it will be used in both scientific research and creative fields such as video games and 3D animation. The project aims to enhance understanding of ant evolution and biodiversity, while also engaging a non-scientific audience.

Dr. Katzke is interested in training AI models using the 3D data to differentiate between various anatomical parts of the ants. This could aid in studying ant evolution and improve animation workflows, potentially impacting future media like films and video games.

Key Insights

• The Antscan project has produced high-resolution images of over 2,000 ants from more than 700 species using a synchrotron light source in Germany. This technology allows for 3D reconstructions of ants, revealing details such as individual muscle fibers and tiny hairs on their bodies.
• Dr. Julian Katzke emphasizes the diversity of ant mouthparts, which are essential for their daily tasks and vary greatly among species. The South American army ant serves as an example, with its soldiers possessing mandibles so strong they can staple wounds.
• A vial-swapping robot and high-speed camera enable the Antscan team to scan ants in about 30 seconds each, a significant improvement over traditional methods that take 8 to 12 hours. This advancement allows for the rapid accumulation of data for research and artistic applications.
• Antscan data is publicly available and intended to be used in scientific and artistic fields. Dr. Katzke foresees its application in ant evolution studies and in engaging non-scientific audiences through video games and 3D animations.