A particle accelerator helped scientists create stunning 3D ants

Researchers have developed a high-tech system that rapidly scans ants and converts them into detailed 3D models. Using a synchrotron accelerator, X-ray imaging, robotics, and AI, the team scanned 2,000 specimens in just a week and produced models of 800 species. The images reveal microscopic anatomy that was previously difficult to study. The growing Antscan database could become a powerful digital library of biodiversity. "One limitation is that you can get this rich 3D dataset, but it could take 10 hours to scan one specimen," explained Economo, chair of the University of Maryland's Department of Entomology and holder of the James B. Gahan and Margaret H. Gahan Profe... [7236 chars]