Ant colonies often come into conflict over territory and resources. A new review article examines research on ants’ battle tactics, strategies, and capabilities.

For thousands of years, humans have looked to nature for ways to cure disease. Ancient civilizations around the world relied on plants, animals, and fungi to treat every malady from headaches to heart disease. Even as our ability to develop synthetic drugs has increased, natural products remain crucial in the field of medicine. Between 1981 and 2019, nearly one-third of drugs approved globally were derived from natural sources. Scientists have discovered biologically active compounds in a diverse range of organisms, but most research has focused on plants, leaving many other life forms unexplored. In particular, insects are a promising yet underutilized source of biologically active molecules. Despite being relatively under-researched, insect-derived molecules have shown promise in a wide range of applications in medicine.