Photo: Inland Ants Crave Salt, and Hurricanes May Help

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Salt-deprived animals and insects living far inland from some coasts may benefit from an uptick in climate-driven hurricane intensity, a new study suggests.



To test the idea, scientists placed tubes stuffed with cotton swabs soaked in water with varying levels of salt and sugar solutions at various distances from the coast throughout the Americas. The researchers then counted the number of ants that came to each tube. Farther from the coast, ants increasingly preferred the saltier baits.



Photograph by Stephen P. Yanoviak

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