E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Dacke et al. / Current Biology
You might expect dung beetles to keep their "noses to the ground," but they are actually incredibly attuned to the sky. A report published in Current Biology shows that even on the darkest of nights, African ball-rolling insects are guided by the soft glow of the Milky Way.
When dung beetles roll their tiny balls of poop across the sands of South Africa on a moonless night, they look to the glow of our Milky Way galaxy as a navigational aid, researchers report.
"Even on clear, moonless nights, many dung beetles still manage to orientate along straight paths," Marie Dacke, a biologist at Sweden's Lund University, said in a news release. "This led us to suspect that the beetles exploit the starry sky for orientation — a feat that had, to our knowledge, never before been demonstrated in an insect."
That's an amazing claim. But what's just as amazing are the lengths to which the researchers went to make their case.
First, they built a 10-foot-wide (3-meter-wide) circular arena in a South African game reserve and watched what troops of nocturnal dung beetles did on moonlit nights, moonless nights and cloudy nights. They fitted the bugs with little cardboard caps to block their view of the sky. They even fitted some of the bugs with transparent plastic caps, just to make sure that any differences they saw were due to the sky blockage rather than the presence of the caps.
Then the scientists took their dung-beetle arena into the Johannesburg Planetarium and ran the same experiment, to eliminate the possibility that the beetles were using terrestrial landmarks to plot their course in the dark. The planetarium was programmed to show the night sky with the Milky Way, or the Milky Way without the brightest stars in the sky, or the brightest stars without the Milky Way, or just the diffuse glow of the Milky Way with no stars at all.
The bottom line was clear: Those bugs could keep track of how the fuzzy streak of the Milky Way was oriented in the sky, to make sure they rolled their balls of dung in a suitably straight line.
Why is that so important? Without the proper orientation, the beetles might circle back to the dung pile, where they'd have to face all the other beetles trying to steal away their tiny balls of poop. That would put the bugs' intended meal at risk. "The dung beetles don't care which direction they're going in; they just need to get away from the bun fight at the poo pile," Marcus Byrne of South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand explained in a news release.
Marcus Byrne
Dung beetles were fitted with tiny cardboard caps to see how well they could navigate when the night sky was blocked out. When they were wearing the caps, the bugs were more prone to go around in circles.
The University of the Witwatersrand's Marcus Byrne discusses dung beetles in a TED talk.
Dacke, Byrne and their colleagues describe their latest dung-beetle adventure in this week's issue of Current Biology. Researchers have previously chronicled the bugs' other peculiarities: how the insects do a "dance" on top of their dung balls to get themselves oriented (and keep cool as well) ... how they monitor the sun and the moon for poop-ball navigation ... and how they discriminate between different flavors of dung (the smellier, the better).
Byrne said the idea of checking the bugs' celestial compass came up during an earlier series of South African experiments with the bugs. "We were sitting out in Vryburg, and the Milky Way was this massive light source," he recalled. "We thought, they have to be able to use this — they just have to!"
The latest experiments show that for the nocturnal beetles (Scarabaeus satyrus), the moon is the most reliable guide. It took about 20 seconds, on average, for the bugs to make their way out of the arena under moonlit conditions. On a moonless, starry night, it took about 40 seconds. But it took three times as long on a cloudy night, or when the bugs were wearing those cardboard caps. The planetarium tests came up with similar results: The bugs were quickest when they could look up at the dome and see the full, starry sky (43 seconds), or even the Milky Way's bright, diffuse band without the stars (53 seconds). When the planetarium dome was totally dark, the average time rose to 120 seconds.
Before this study, only birds, humans and seals were known to use the stars for orientation. The compound eyes of a dung beetle may not be all that great — but they're good enough to make out the Milky Way's glowing band in a dark sky.
"This study shows that some insects can use the starry sky for orientation, even though they might not necessarily be able to discriminate the individual stars," the researchers wrote. "In theory, insects could use any large and dense group of bright stars for orientation or nocturnal migration."
Scientists have long suspected that celestial orientation is used by still more species, ranging from moths and spiders to newts and frogs. This latest batch of meticulous experiments with poop-rolling beetles may well point the way to confirming those suspicions.
More beetle mania:
- Meet the world's strongest bug
- Weird beetle's sperm teams up
- Gallery: Eight insects with the 'ick' factor
In addition to Dacke and Byrne, the authors of "Dung Beetles Use the Milky Way for Orientation" include Emily Baird, Clarke H. Scholtz and Eric J. Warrant.
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
Leave a Comment:
Seriously? People actually get paid for doing @!$%# like this?
Thomas, we have a lot to learn from nature. Just because you don't see the potential value in it, doesn't mean it isn't there. The technical applications are only limited by your own intelligence and imagination.
potential value? How so? I agree, we have alot to learn from nature, but this, come on.. So it gets its navigational skills from the Milky Way, how does that help us?I say, use the time and money somewhere else, that can actually do some good for mankind.. What a waste.
I think the value in being able to follow procedure to complete a sound experiment to prove something beyond reasonable doubt is worth a great deal, even when you think the outcome or the subject is inconsequential. I bet you or anyone in your family cannot even follow a single step to prove anything so you resort to sound bite and name calling. That's what repubs do in congress.
Insects are so smart that I've often pondered if, in their realm, they're as smart as we are, even more organized and disciplined. Seriously. Using the Milky Way as a guide??
Hello? Unlike humans, No GPS / Garmon needed!
See the thing is, they don't know it's the Milky Way. Most of them have probably never even heard of Galileo.
I agree with you Thomas. EXCITING as this discovery is, I hope federal tax dollars didn't pay for this "research".
Greg, think outside the box a little... try to be a little creative and imagine the potential applications behind this and other bio-tech related research.
For example, the day we start producing synthetic spider-silk on a mass scale, I doubt you or Thomas will be complaining about the 1% of our tax dollars that goes toward all federally funded Science, Space, and Technology Programs.
There are much bigger fish to fry that have less potential value to society:
National Defense: 24.9%
Health care: 23.7%
Job and Family Security: 19.1%
Education and Job Training: 3.6%
Veterans Benefits: 4.5%
Natural Resources, Energy, and Environment: 2.0%
International Affairs1.6%
Science, Space, and Technology Programs: 1.0%
Immigration, Law Enforcement, and Administration of Justice: 2.0%
Agriculture: 0.7%
Community, Area, and Regional Development: 0.5%
Response to Natural Disasters: 0.4%
Additional Government Programs: 7.9%
Net Interest: 8.1%
http://www.whitehouse.gov/2011-taxreceipt
Interesting. Now if we can just get liberals to follow something, instead of just doing whatever happens to feel good at the moment.
(You know this was bound to turn political. Just getting it out of the way.)
On to more intelligent discussion.
all i am hearing "what do you need edumacation fer, anyhoo?" from most of the commenters here.....sure, you can rant all you want about liberals all day long and still doesn't fix the fact that way too many Americans do not value education at all. "Why are them thar jobs agittin' out-sourced to India????" It's not just for cheap labor, folks!
Yes people get paid for this. Now we know that we could build a simple celestial navigation device rather than using a GPS satellite that could get wiped after a big solar event. While you're out crashing your car me and my dung beetle will have already have made it safely home.
Forget about whether or not they get paid. What would make anyone want to do this with their life?
This is research. Not "research." Research. And for those of us who can read:
And for those of us who know how to click on links:
Hm. I would imagine it is rare for biology researchers from Sweden and South Africa to be funded by US Federal tax dollars, although I suppose it is possible.
Speaking as a liberal, what happens to feel good at the moment IS taking responsibility for oneself and one's environment and country. That's considerably more than you can say for those who criticize the liberal viewpoint, mostly because they don't see why they should have to take any responsibility whatsoever.
Seriously, you're an im be cile.
@greg,
You're a simpleton.
so bored at work that will read any crap....
The One and Only made the point I was going to make... It's hard to predict what course future research will take. Maybe this little ball of research will be rolled back to the dung heap. But I can imagine that someone might take a closer look at how a beetle's pea-sized brain works and could come up with a navigation system that's cheaper or more resilient than what's used currently. Maybe even for interplanetary spacecraft, which also use star trackers for navigation.
"Interesting. Now if we can just get liberals to follow something, instead of just doing whatever happens to feel good at the moment."
We do. It's called science. The process by which we make sense of the physical world through experimentation and observation of FACTS.
" I hope federal tax dollars didn't pay for this "research"."
Seeing that the researchers are all from Sweden and South Africa, you can rest assure that your tax dollars are quite safe and doing their usual great job of subsidizing oil companies so that their poor executives don't have to fly around in second-hand jets.
As a South African myself, I'm quite happy to pay taxes that goes towards discovering more about the world around me.
I can't wait until some conservative wants to repeal the law of gravity or something like that.... Jesus didn't say nuthin' 'bout no law of gravity!!! LOL
Alan Boyle, my apologies, you would think adults could appreciate this article without turning it into a political anecdote or whatever it is they are referencing.....
The Dung Beetle is an extraordinary creature and quiet advanced in their own way...
They also show musical preferences...their favorite song is (wait for it)..."Let Me Roll It".
Guided by the Milky Way huh??
I thought it was just Uranus.
ta dum dum
So dung beetles go through life like the Republican party - with the big difference being that the beetles are more useful.
What a great study! Science rocks!
Yes. Now this is effing cool news!
Over 3,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians depicted the scarab beetle as being the symbolic cause of rolling the sun across the sky, each day. Who is to say, but perhaps they somehow figured out that the Scarab beetle was using the night sky to navigate?
Wouldn't it be cool to know everything that has been forgotten?
Interesting thought Darren. We like to think of our society as being the pinnacle of mankind so far, which it is as far as we can tell. But there are definitely technologies and there is knowledge that were lost when past civilizations faded away... and we are left to wonder how did they do that??
With so many species using the Sun, Moon and Stars to navigate (some we don't even know about yet), it's not surprising that one eventually wondered about what else they represented and what else was out there. But I wonder, if it wasn't humans, what creature would it have been?
My questions are, are all dung beetles black, and, why is this?
Cool. Plus they know their sht.
Well, I think most human can't use the stars as compass anymore, GPS works better.
Pro 6:6-11 KJV Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: (7) Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, (8) Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. (9) How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? (10) Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: (11) So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
"I deeply believe in God... I believe in deep science... Their is no conflict."-Flame
I am a man. I don't need a map or a GPS.
A GPS is for wimps.
"GPS is For Wimps".... actually I agree I used to use my faithful "Rand McNally" to get around the entire country... no GPS... besides... I'm a man to and I HATE asking for directions... (despite my wife's pleadings)
and if you watch Bizarre foods, them dung beetle taste pretty darn good too apparently.
All these years I've been following dung beetles for my direction. Now I know I can use the Milky Way too!
Totally amazing! How large can a dung beetle's brain be - a pinhead or two in size? Yet it's enough to navigate by the moon, or the stars, or the Milky way!
I know a bunch of people who can't navigate a well marked highway without their GPS without getting lost - maybe they should consult the next dung beetle they see for some pointers.
I will never compare my co-workers with the smarter Dung Beetle again!
"use the Milky Way as compass" ? So do Republican/TPers.
As a liberal, late me say this was a completely stupid comment and I am ashamed to be using the same label for my worldview as you. You should give more thought as to who is using the Milky Way as their compass before posting such utter garbage.
Well, luke, take a look at the OP of the next thread. Take a look at the OP of the first thread.
And we wonder why this country is broke......
It's because of stupid, under-educated people such as yourself. That's why.
You mean South Africa?
I thought they would use a Baby Ruth rather than a Milky Way.
3 Musketeers - All for dung and dung for all!
I bet the guy that did this study hasn't had a date with a woman in a decade.
....and I bet you'll never make more than minimum wage.
Who gives a s$$t except another Dung Beetle. People starving in Africa and we spend money for this bs.
I love this argument . Our nation spends 20-30 times more on the military than we do on all non-military science and space programs combined. But it's science that stands in the way of hungry mouths in "Africa". Ridiculous.
Btw - the gov't already spends far more of our tax dollars on helping the needy, at home and abroad, than they do on non-military science and technology. "Job and Family Security" is nearly 20% of the budget, and foreign humanitarian aid is another 1%.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/2011-taxreceipt
We didn't spend any money on this. It was done by the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. Says so right there in the article. Go ahead and scroll back up and look if you don't believe me. I'll be right here when you get back.
You are an im be cile. Please go away, as you're not smart enough to understand why some things are important.
You would be surprised how much modern technology (especially in the field of robotics, but elsewhere as well) has advanced through the study of insects.
It's Obama's fault!
Man had to discover the use of celestial bodies for orientation, who figured it out for the beetle?
it's a byproduct of evolution and humans are apart of that chain. Note that many other living organisms are suspected of being able to do this, we just haven't observed/gathered the evidence to show it.
A little thing called evolution.
INSANE. All of you who think this kind of crap deserves to be done, YOU PAY FOR IT. I think its a waste. Stop using my hard earned tax dollars for this crap. A DUNG BEETLE REALLY?
Hey patricia...learn to read. This study wasn't done by the U.S., your reading comprehension sucks.
I KNOW! And do dung beetles really need those fancy cardboard caps? At the VERY LEAST they should be made from RECYCLED CARDBOARD.
Do you live in South Africa, you total moron in life?
Yeah South Africans, stop wasting my hard earned American money paying for all this crappy "science" which results in advances in medicine, electronics, communications, etc. and contributes to our cumulative greater understanding of the world we live in even though I'm obviously not that opposed to any of it since I'm sitting in my air-condition, insulated house, typing on my computer, and still alive because of the antibiotics the docs gave me when I had a bad infection as a child; all of which was developed by this crappy waste of money called "science".
No shee-it
Would all you morons who keep bitching about your tax dollars being spent on this pull your heads out of your asses and read the article? This study was conducted by the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.
You are correct Angry Guy. However, there is a larger argument to be made concerning the value of federally-funded research. Some short-sighted people see Dung Beetle and think "oh, how worthless", failing to even read the article let alone give the potential payoff any real consideration...
Or they say "there are starving people in Africa" (or anywhere for that matter), when we already spend over 20x that amount of federal dollars on helping the needy (and another 30x that amount on the military, but oddly you don't hear them complain about this as much).
If it were up to these people, America would be a 3rd world nation, because science and technology is a critical component of how America became the world power that it has been for decades if not centuries.
One thing is certain - If we as a nation don't lose this anti-science attitude, we will be left behind.
That was a very interesting video .
Thanks .
I am curious. They didn't say what the beetles used on totally dark nights. It sounds like even though it took the beetles three times as long, they somehow still managed to navigate in a straight line on totally dark nights. Maybe we could learn a thing or two from these beetles? - RC
On a cloudy night, with no stars in the sky, the bugs were more prone to roll their balls of poop in circles ... which made for a more raucous time at the old dung heap.
good question. I imagine they used proximity of other beetles to find a direction. Their goal is to get the hell away from everyone else so they can eat their $%*#. My guess is as the ventured closer to another beetle, they changed directions, ultimately bouncing around until they eventually found a clear path void of other beetles.
The follow up study should question the effects of light pollution from cities on dung production. Can beetle populations thrive amid urban expansion?
So @!$%# really does happen
We have observed this behavior for many years as liberals roll their balls of poo round america in seemingly straight lines.
..circles... politicians keep repeating mistakes and making the same promises over and over.
Right, no gerrymandering for us poo pushers
Who knew there were so many different ways to torture and abuse beetles? I've always been satisfied by just tearing a couple of legs off and see how they walk. (just kidding of course)
Fascinating news. I haven't visited TED TALKS you-tube channel for a while. I think I'll peruse that before bed tonight.
I don't know what's so amazing. That's exactly how I navigate with my piles of poop!