Termites became social powerhouses by stripping away genes tied to competition and independence. This genetic shedding locked in monogamy, boosted cooperation, and paved the way for their ...

A queen Oecophylla smaragdina ant Didier Descouens via Wikimedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 Small animals don’t usually grow very old. Since they’re always at risk of becoming another critter’s quick snack, ...

Learn more about termite evolution and how shedding key genes from their cockroach ancestors helped them build more complex ...

The bugs are unique among colony-forming insects in that their queens cannot rule without a king. By Elizabeth Preston While millions of eyes are on the coronation of Charles III this weekend, other ...

Tracing the emergence of termites back to cockroaches, scientists have found that termites didn’t become more socially complex by gaining new genes, but by losing them. The findings shed new light on ...