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For ants and robots operating in confined spaces like tunnels, having more workers does not necessarily mean getting more work done. A study published August 17 in the journal Science shows that in fire ant colonies, a small number of workers does most of the digging. For digging nest tunnels, this less busy approach gets the job done without ant traffic jams – ensuring smooth excavation flow. Researchers led by Georgia Tech scientists found that applying the ant optimization strategy to autonomous robots avoids mechanized clogs and gets the work done with the least amount of energy.