There’s a type of termite in French Guiana that has evolved to essentially be a living dirty bomb. It’s filled with a toxic substance, and it can blow itself up on demand, if need be, to release its toxins. For years, scientists had no idea how it could do anything so weird and gross. But now they think they have an answer.
Neocapritermes taracua termites are born with an enzyme stored in what is basically a backpack on their back. They continue to build more and more of this enzyme as they age. When the colony is threatened by a predator, older worker termites will sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the colony by rupturing their backs, thus releasing the toxic enzyme where it mixes with a benign internal fluid. What results is a highly toxic and slightly sticky liquid that can kill.
According to a recently published study by the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in Prague, the toxic enzyme has a three-dimensional structure that is folded in on itself so tightly that it provides an incredible amount of strength and stability to the liquid toxin, thus preventing it from bursting at random as it’s doing its hard work within the colony. If the colony is threatened, the kamikaze termite can rupture this tightly packed packet of poison on its back, where it then mixes with non-toxic liquids to become an even more potent toxin.
It’s theorized that older worker kamikaze termites evolved this explosive toxicity because as they age, their front mandibles get dull, making them less effective at their jobs. So they explode in one last valiant attempt at being useful for the colony. You died a hero, kamikaze termite. Now get the hell out of my front door frame, you disgusting little freaks.
The post Scientists Finally Discovered How ‘Kamikaze’ Termites Blow Themselves Up appeared first on VICE.
The post Scientists Finally Discovered How ‘Kamikaze’ Termites Blow Themselves Up appeared first on VICE.
