Termite mound with cathedral’s dreaming spires
WITH its towering spires and graceful columns, it’s hard to believe that this structure was made by insects.
But the mound – which looks like the impressive Sagrada Familia cathedral – was entirely the work of termites.
It was so impressive that it caught the eye of outspoken scientist Richard Dawkins.
He said that the work shows that simple processes can result in breathtaking complexity.
The author of The God Delusion tweeted: ‘This magnificent cathedral, photographed by Fiona Stewart in Queensland, Australia, was built by termites.
‘No architect... no blueprint, not even in DNA. They just followed local rules of thumb, like cells in an embryo.’
He also asked users if anyone knew the genus or species.
One remarked that the genus was Antonio Gaudi – after the architect who designed the cathedral in Barcelona.
Matt Shardlow, of the insect charity Buglife cleared up the question. He told Radio 4’ s Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia Today Programme: ‘The colour of this termite mound is quite grey, which is very typical of the magnetic termite that lives in northern Australia.
‘What it looks like has happened [is that] this particular colony has been damaged at some point, and those tall spires are the termite’s efforts to rebuild and get the height back within their colony as quickly as they can.’