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The Ant Man

Biologist Adrian Smith, also known as "the Ant Man," studies social insect chemical communication.
Adrian Smith
Biologist Adrian Smith, also known as "the Ant Man," studies social insect chemical communication.

The trail of ants across the kitchen counter may be a nuisance to some, but to biologist Adrian Smith, it is a fascinating phenomenon full of mystery. Smith studies the evolution of different ants and their social patterns. He also films the insects to document their intriguing characteristics.

Ant man Adrian Smith

Guest host Phoebe Judge talks with Smith, director of the Evolutionary Biology & Behavior Research Lab at the Museum of Natural Sciences. Smith speaks at the Museum’s Science café on Thursday evening.

Check out some of his YouTube videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylsLPjDjZ3Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYX4NvK4XOc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkz0L31oEZM

Copyright 2016 North Carolina Public Radio

Laura Lee began her journalism career as a producer and booker at NPR. She returned to her native North Carolina to manage The State of Things, a live daily statewide show on WUNC. After working as a managing editor of an education journalism start-up, she became a writer and editor at a national education publication, Edutopia. She then served as the news editor at Carolina Public Press, a statewide investigative newsroom. In 2022, she worked to build collaborative coverage of elections administration and democracy in North Carolina.

Laura received her master’s in journalism from the University of Maryland and her bachelor’s degree in political science and J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Phoebe Judge is an award-winning journalist whose work has been featured on a numerous national radio programs. She regularly conducts interviews and anchors WUNC's broadcast of Here & Now. Previously, Phoebe served as producer, reporter and guest host for the nationally distributed public radio program The Story. Earlier in her career, Phoebe reported from the gulf coast of Mississippi. She covered the BP oil spill and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina for Mississippi Public Broadcasting and National Public Radio. Phoebe's work has won multiple Edward R.Murrowand Associated Press awards. Phoebe was born and raised in Chicago and is graduate ofBennington Collegeand theSalt Institute for Documentary Studies.