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Callum Ilott, Graham Rahal Break Through

Editor’s Note: Power Rankings is a feature after every NTT INDYCAR SERIES race in which INDYCAR.com staff writer Eric Smith ranks the top-10 current drivers in the series based on objective recent and season-long performance statistics and the subjective “eye test” of what he sees during race weekends.

Will Power delivered Team Penske its first win of the season with a commanding performance at the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland presented by askROI, vaulting up the Power Rankings.

Meanwhile, Alex Palou sealed his fourth NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship and third title in a row after a strong third-place finish at Portland International Raceway.

Here’s how the Power Rankings stack up following 110 laps in the Pacific Northwest, as the series heads into its final off weekend of the 2025 season:

↑10. Graham Rahal (No. 15 Hendrickson International Honda; Last Rank: NR)

Rahal makes his first Power Rankings appearance after a standout performance in Portland. Climbing from 22nd to a season-best fourth, it marks his second top-seven finish in the last three races.

↑9. Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Odyssey Battery Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: NR)

McLaughlin returns to the rankings for the first time since early June, leaving the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. A seventh-place finish in Portland was his second straight top 10. He’ll look to build momentum at the Milwaukee Mile, where he won last season.

↓8. Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 3)

Dixon was running in the top 10 before a penalty for avoidable contact with Josef Newgarden dropped him to 11th. Still, it was his ninth consecutive finish of 11th or better for the driver third in the championship standings with two races remaining.

↑7. Callum Ilott (No. 90 PREMA Racing Chevrolet; Last Rank: NR)

Ilott breaks into the rankings for the first time on the strength of three straight top-eight finishes, showing impressive consistency in recent weeks. He has finished sixth in the last two races, at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Portland.

↔6. Marcus Armstrong (No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance Honda; Last Rank: 6)

Armstrong continues to be a model of consistency, finishing eighth for the second consecutive race. He now has eight top-10 results in his last nine starts.

↓5. Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda; Last Rank: 4)

It was a quiet weekend for Herta, but a 10th-place result gives him three straight top 10s and four in the last six races.

↓4. Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet; Last Rank: 2)

Despite starting on pole and leading 15 laps, O’Ward’s victory chances and title hopes ended prematurely due to mechanical failure that required long repairs in the pits, placing him 10 laps down at the finish in 25th. His five-race top-five streak ends, but his pace didn’t disappear. His nine top-five finishes this season rank second best.

↑3. Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: 10)

Power says he’s driving better than ever, and the results support it. His win at Portland was his second podium finish in five races and his third top-seven finish in that span. He has six top-five finishes this season, tied with Dixon and Christian Lundgaard for third-most.

↑2. Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet; Last Rank: 5)

Lundgaard has surged into second after back-to-back runner-up finishes. A six-spot grid penalty after winning the NTT P1 Award couldn’t stop him from earning his sixth podium finish of the season. Notably, the No. 7 Arrow McLaren entry had just four podiums in 81 starts prior to his arrival.

↔1. Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 1)

Palou clinched the championship in typical fashion – climbing from fifth to finish third for his 12th top-five and 13th top-10 finish of the year. He’s finished in the top five in six of the last seven races, continuing his reign atop the series.

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August 12, 2025
Hydrogen Bonds Hold the Key to Moisture-Rich Soils

What allows organic matter to retain water, enabling its life-giving properties? This is what a recent study published in PNAS Nexus hopes to address as a team of researchers investigated the water-retaining properties of organic matter. This study holds the potential to shed light on how and why evidence of water has been found in ancient samples, both on Earth and beyond.

For the study, the researchers used a combination of laboratory experiments and computer models to analyze clays mixed with glucose, amylose, and amylopectin, the last two of which are longer assemblages of glucose. The goal of the study was to ascertain the nanoscale processes responsible for organic matter retaining water as well as it does. In the end, the researchers found that hydrogen bonds are the key contributor for organic matter to retain water.

“The right amount of minerals and organic matter in soils leads to healthy soils with good moisture,” said Dr. Ludmilla Aristilde, who is an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at northwestern University and a co-author on the study. “It’s something everyone has experienced, but we haven’t fully understood the physics and chemistry of how that works. By figuring this out, we could potentially engineer soil to have the right chemistry, turning it into long-term sponges that preserve moisture.”

These results help shed light on how organic matter contributes to growing plants while also enabling scientists to better understand water properties on world beyond Earth, like Mars, asteroids, and potentially exoplanets. This could especially come into play with future sample returns from Mars that could provide researchers with greater insight into ancient life on Mars.

What new discoveries about organic matter will researchers make in the coming years and decades? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!

As always, keep doing science & keep looking up!

Sources: PNAS Nexus, EurekAlert!

Featured Image: Artist’s illustration of water being trapped within soil. (Credit: Aristilde Research Group/Northwestern University)

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August 12, 2025
Circle Internet sees wider stablecoin adoption from payments and foreign exchange
By Steve Gelsi

Circle’s stock climbs as investors shrug off a one-time quarterly loss and focus on a big jump in revenue and stablecoins in circulation

Circle Internet’s stock is up after it reported a wider-than-expected loss but beat analysts’ revenue estimates.

Circle Internet Group Inc.’s stock rose Tuesday after the company’s first quarterly earnings update since its blockbuster initial public offering, as investors applauded the stablecoin issuer’s growth and plans for a new transaction network.

Circle (CRCL) also reported second-quarter results that impressed Wall Street, with a 53% jump in second-quarter revenue and bullish comments on the outlook for stablecoins – a type of digital currency pegged one-to-one to the U.S. dollar DXY or another reserve asset.

The company said circulation of its USDC stablecoin (USDCUSD) was $61.3 billion as of June 30, up 90% from a year ago. Since then, it has increased another 6.4% to $65.2 billion as of Aug. 10.

On a call with analysts, Circle Chief Executive Jeremy Allaire said the company is readying a test launch this fall of Arc, a blockchain network for capital-markets transactions, foreign exchange and payments using USDC. It’s planning to formally roll out the service by the end of the year.

“We are at the fulcrum of a massive mainstream embrace of stablecoins in the financial system, and firms are racing to build on this infrastructure,” Allaire said. “Until now, the blockchain infrastructure needed to meet the most intense demands of major financial firms and enterprises has simply not existed.”

Circle’s stock ended Tuesday up 1.3% at $163.26 a share – nearly double where it closed on its first day of trading on June 5, at $83.23. Circle’s IPO had priced at $31.

Looking ahead, Circle may take aim at “careful and deliberate” acquisitions, but Allaire said he doesn’t expect any big, complex deals at the current time.

“We only want to do things that really fit clearly in that kind of product mandate,” the CEO said. “We’ve got a lot of organic development happening now and we’re excited to deliver on that.”

The company’s second-quarter revenue increased to $658.1 million, from $430 million a year ago, and topped the consensus analyst estimate of $645.7 million.

Circle said it swung to a loss $482.1 million, or $4.48 a share, in its second quarter ending June 30. In the year-ago quarter, it earned $32.92 million, with no common stock outstanding at the time.

Wall Street analysts expected Circle to lose 97 cents a share, according to FactSet data.

The reason why Wall Street appeared not to care so much about the larger-than-expected loss was that it included one-time, noncash charges of $591 million related to its IPO, including $424 million for stock-based compensation related to vesting conditions.

During the quarter, the company debuted its Circle Payments Network, a product to help financial firms make payments with stablecoins.

It also inked payments alliances with Corpay Inc. (CPAY), Fiserv Inc. (FI) and crypto exchange Binance Holdings Ltd.

Allaire said the company has been growing its relationship with Binance, among the largest trading platforms for crypto assets.

“They’ve been a great partner and they’re leaning into both the technology and really driving USDC growth,” he said.

To be sure, Circle may still face challenges in stablecoin adoption, Deutsche Bank analyst Brian Bedell said as he launched coverage of the stock on Tuesday, giving it a neutral rating and a $155-a-share price target.

“While we see potential for strong long-term industry adoption of stablecoins, the range of outcomes are very wide and likely to create substantial volatility in earnings,” Bedell said in a note. “We see the shares as being fairly valued.”

-Steve Gelsi

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August 12, 2025
Prunus Armeniaca, Bee Venom, and Bioactives in Breast Cancer Therapy
Breast cancer remains one of the top and most deadly cancers for women all over the world. Usual treatments like chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation, and surgery have undeniably helped patients live longer. Yet, these come with substantial adverse effects and, often, therapy resistance. There is therefore a growing push to integrate natural compounds to help boost efficacy and potentially lessen those adverse effects.

Image Credit: Nikolai | stock.adobe.com

A 2025 study published in Frontiers in Oncology examined how prunus armeniaca (PA) extract and bee venom (BV) work together against human breast cancer cells MCF-7 (ER-positive) and MDA-MB-231 (TNBC).¹The mix of PA and BV given in doses from 0 to 500 µg/mL enhanced the cell kill rate. For MCF-7 cells, the needed dose to kill half the cells (IC₅₀) was as low as 35.15 µg/mL, and for MDA-MB-231 it reached 73.80 µg/mL.¹ Cell groups grew approximately 83% less, and apoptotic morphology increased from 3.2% to 65.3% at 70.3 µg/mL as shown by acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining. Tests also noted an approximate 59% reduction in cell migration.¹ These findings show the pro-apoptotic and anti-invasive capabilities of this natural combination.

Backing these results, studies on different types of cancer show that PA and BV might change additional tumor-suppressive pathways. Notably, a test on cells from pancreatic and lung cancer found that combining PA and BV raised p53 levels and dropped Bcl-2, contributing to apoptosis.²

Meanwhile, live tests examining natural adjuvants alongside standard care have shown strong results. A 2024 study in Scientific Reports examined how bee venom, hesperidin (from citrus), and piperine (from black pepper) work, with or without tamoxifen (Soltamox; Mayne Pharma), in MCF-7-derived breast tumors in rats. Combinations of these natural compounds raised apoptotic markers (Bax, Caspase-3) and lowered genes against cell death and for new blood vessel growth (Bcl-2, VEGF). Tests on cell cycles found that both tamoxifen and hesperidin alone made the cells stop at G₀/G₁ phase, but the inclusion of bee venom and piperine shifted the stop to G₂/M phase, indicating an enhanced antiproliferative action.³

In the laboratory setting, work by Khamis et al. (2018) backed these findings: hesperidin, piperine, and BV, when used together, strengthened the effects of tamoxifen on MCF-7 and T47D cells. This was shown by apoptosis induction and G₂/M phase arrest in most treatment combinations.³These studies show that simple natural compounds like PA, BV, and piperine on their own or mixed with chemo may enhance apoptotic activity, slow down cell growth, stop cell invasion, and modulate critical cell cycle dynamics.

These natural compounds offer dose-sparing potential, as enhanced efficacy could allow lower doses of conventional drugs and reduce toxicity; multi-targeted action, by simultaneously affecting apoptosis, angiogenesis, metastasis, and cell-cycle progression to help overcome resistance; and accessibility, since dietary compounds like hesperidin and piperine may serve as cost-effective adjuvants. However, making this hope real for clinical use requires validation through careful safety assessment, considering effects like adverse reactions or hemolysis from BV and plant extracts—along with strategies to improve bioavailability, such as encapsulation or nano-delivery systems, and well-designed clinical trials to determine efficacy, pharmacokinetics, immune responses, and optimal dosing.

REFERENCES
1. Kadasah SF, Alrefaei A, Abd Al Galil FM, Alqahtani AM. Synergistic antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of prunus armeniaca and bee venom on breast cancer cells. Frontiers. July 31, 2025. Accessed August 12, 2025. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1647710/abstract.
2. Khamis AA, Ali EMM, Salim EI, El-Moneim MAA. Synergistic effects of bee venom, hesperidin, and piperine with tamoxifen on apoptotic and angiogenesis biomarker molecules against xerographic MCF-7 injected rats. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):1510. Published 2024 Jan 17. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-50729-6
3. 1.Khamis AAA, Ali EMM, El-Moneim MAA, Abd-Alhaseeb MM, El-Magd MA, Salim EI. Hesperidin, piperine and bee venom synergistically potentiate the anticancer effect of tamoxifen against breast cancer cells. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2018;105:1335-1343. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.06.105
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August 12, 2025
Restoration of Knee Function After Tibial Tubercle Proximalization for Infrapatellar Contracture Syndrome Following Patellar Fracture Surgery

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August 12, 2025
Cava (CAVA) Q2 2025 earnings
Customers arrive at a Cava restaurant in New York City on June 22, 2023.

Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters

Cava on Tuesday lowered its full-year forecast for same-store sales growth after a disappointing second quarter.

For the full year, Cava now anticipates same-store sales growth of 4% to 6%, down from its prior range of 6% to 8%.

Shares of the company plunged 20% in extended trading. The stock has fallen 40% this year, including the after-hours move.

Here’s what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:

Earnings per share: 16 cents vs. 13 cents expected

Revenue: $280.6 million vs. $285.6 million expected

The restaurant company reported second-quarter net income of $18.4 million, or 16 cents per share, down from $19.7 million, or 17 cents per share, a year earlier.

Net restaurant sales climbed 20% to $278.2 million, largely thanks to new restaurant openings.

The chain’s same-store sales, a metric that only tracks the performance of restaurants that have been open at least a year, rose 2.1% during the quarter. While Cava managed to buck the industry trend of same-store sales declines, Wall Street was projecting growth of 6.1%, according to StreetAccount estimates.

Cava said its quarterly traffic was “roughly flat.” A year earlier, the company’s same-store sales climbed 14.4%, fueled by nearly double-digit traffic growth. At the time, Cava CEO and co-founder Brett Schulman credited the introduction of its grilled steak option as one reason customers kept coming to restaurants during the quarter.

CFO Tricia Tolivar told CNBC on Tuesday that the second quarter started off with strong same-store sales growth, which led the company to reiterate its prior outlook when it reported its first-quarter results. However, she said, once the chain celebrated the one-year launch of grilled steak, it saw that growth slow.

Rival fast-casual chains have also struggled this quarter with slumping sales. Chipotle Mexican Grill reported same-store sales declines of 4%, while salad chain Sweetgreen saw its stock plummet after the company cut its outlook for the second straight quarter.

Aside from lowering its same-store sales forecast, Cava reiterated other key financial projections for the full year. The company still anticipates adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $152 million to $159 million. Cava also maintained its forecast for restaurant-level profit margins of 24.8% to 25.2%.

Cava on Tuesday also announced that it participated in a $25 million Series B funding round for Hyphen, which automates plate and bowl portioning. Chipotle Mexican Grill, which has already invested in Hyphen, led the funding round with Cava.

“By piloting Hyphen’s automated digital makeline, we have the opportunity to increase order accuracy and speed during peak digital hours, while reducing complexity for our team members,” Schulman said in a statement.
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August 12, 2025
“Heartbreaking” Proof Of BLACKPINK Lisa’s Ex’s Identity Points To Inactive Male Idol

She has been linked to other idol previously.

Koreaboo

6 hours ago

While her track “Dream” was released earlier this year on her album, BLACKPINK Lisa‘s upcoming short film for the song has brought it back into the spotlight.

BLACKPINK’s Lisa | LLOUD

Starring Lisa and Japanese actor Sakaguchi Kentato, “Dream” has already sparked speculation over who the track could be about. Some have connected Lisa to BTS’s Jungkook based on alleged couple items the pair shared in the past and other details.

BLACKPINK Lisa’s Recent Activity Reignites Past Dating Rumors With BTS’s Jungkook

Some have also connected another male idol to Lisa, even before the video for the track was announced.

In 2015, the hip-hop duo 1Punch debuted featuring Samuel Kim and 1 as a collaboration between D-Business Entertainment and Brave Entertainment.

1Punch (1 (One) left and Samuel Kim (right).

1 (also known as One, Kim Jaewon) was scouted by YG Entertainment after he appeared on Show Me The Money 4, where he attracted significant attention. His subsequent appearance on the show’s fifth season lead to the release of “Comfortable” a collaboration track between him, Simon D, and Gray, which topped charts.

One made his official solo debut in 2017, the first male solo debut since Se7en almost a decade prior.

His popularity led to him making his acting debut and appearing as a panel for Heart Signal, though he would go on to leave YG in 2019, releasing a solo album under his own label in November of that year. Surprisingly, the idol disappeared after this, deactivating his Instagram and has not shared any updates himself since then.

One | Nylon Korea

In 2019, rumors of One and Lisa being in a relationship circulated, connected by alleged lovestagram posts.

Lyrics found in “Dream” also point to it being about One, specifically his disappearance/departure from YG in 2019 and Lisa not knowing where the subject is lately.

Whenever I close my eyes
It’s taking me back in time
Been drowning in dreams lately
Like it’s 2019, baby
Whenever I’m missing you
Call you up, but I can’t get through
Don’t know where you sleep lately
But I’ll see you in my dreams, maybe
We can catch up, drive down our old street
If all that we were is all that we’ll ever be
It’s bittersweet
At least a girl can dream

Lisa’s “Dream” lyrics

Some have also pointed to Kentaro’s hair being blond in the music video, much like One’s was in 2019 and One spent time in Tokyo, Japan before his disappearance.

The way Lisa was asking Kentaro to dye her hair to match with Jung Jaewon blonde hair during 2019. Also Kentaro lowkey looks similar like jung jaewon. Oh Lisa i see the vision😭 https://t.co/dcBQM9NmpJ pic.twitter.com/OaLtoQLRnT

— Lisaboo (@lisbrina9) August 11, 2025

A video gaining attention on TikTok has put together these points, with commenters expressing their belief that the track is about One.

@ygfamilyera

honestly always wonder what happened to him #ygfamily #blackpink #lisa #one #jaewon #jungjaewon

♬ original sound – #1 YGFAM 💋

You can watch the teaser for the MV below.

BLACKPINK

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August 12, 2025
FedEx Appoints Vishal Talwar as Executive Vice President, Chief Digital and Information Officer, and President of FedEx Dataworks

MEMPHIS, Tenn., August 12, 2025 – FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) today announced the appointment of Vishal Talwar, formerly senior managing director & chief growth officer of Accenture Technology, to executive vice president, chief digital and information officer of FedEx Corp., and president of FedEx Dataworks, effective August 15.

With more than 27 years of experience in utilizing technology to drive growth, improve operational efficiency, and elevate customer experience, Talwar brings deep expertise in data science, digital infrastructure, and enterprise-scale transformation. His expertise lies in working with businesses to leverage the power of cloud, data, AI, and other technologies to increase business resiliency and accelerate digital capabilities to drive profitable growth. Before joining FedEx, he worked with companies including Accenture, IBM, and Dell Services. For nearly two years, he has been heavily engaged with FedEx’s digital transformation efforts through his work at Accenture.

“I am pleased to welcome Vishal to the FedEx executive team,” said Raj Subramaniam, president and chief executive officer of FedEx Corporation. “As a seasoned leader in the technology sector, Vishal has a proven track record in accelerating business growth through forward-thinking strategies and transformative digital solutions. His institutional knowledge and industry expertise will be instrumental as we continue to advance our long-term strategy and harness the full potential of FedEx intelligence to deliver even greater value to our customers and stockholders.”

As CDIO and president of FedEx Dataworks, Talwar will drive the company’s digital transformation by leading strategic initiatives focused on developing innovative digital solutions powered by data and AI, advanced technology, robust enterprise architecture, and comprehensive cybersecurity measures.

“I am honored to join FedEx during such a transformative period as the company leverages the power of technology, data, and AI to make supply chains smarter for everyone,” said Talwar. “I’ve had the privilege of working closely with FedEx in an advisory capacity, and that experience has given me a deep understanding of the business, the team, and the strategic direction. I have tremendous confidence in the future of FedEx and am thrilled to be a part of the team.”

With this appointment, senior leaders of the Data and Technology and Dataworks organizations will report directly to Talwar.

About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce, and business services. With annual revenue of $88 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions utilizing its flexible, efficient, and intelligent global network. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 500,000 employees to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities. FedEx is committed to connecting people and possibilities around the world responsibly and resourcefully, with a goal to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2040. To learn more, please visit fedex.com/about.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act (the “PSLRA”), such as statements regarding our long-term strategy and transformative digital solutions. Forward-looking statements include those preceded by, followed by or that include the words “will,” “may,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “believes,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “estimates,” “targets,” “projects,” “intends” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements, which are intended to enjoy the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements provided by the PSLRA as well as protections afforded by other securities laws, are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience or from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the factors which can be found in FedEx’s and its subsidiaries’ press releases and FedEx’s filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2025. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made. FedEx does not undertake or assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

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August 12, 2025
As human teams get bigger, they get less efficient. But these ants have found a solution

Have you ever been part of a large group project? You might assume that with more people involved, the work gets done better and faster.

However, as more team members join the group, the effectiveness of each individual doesn’t increase. It doesn’t even stay constant – it gets worse. Many hands may make light work, but too many cooks spoil the broth.

This paradox is known as the Ringelmann effect, named after French engineer Max Ringelmann who discovered it in the late 19th century. When he measured the force produced by students pulling on a rope, he found that as more students joined the task, the total pulling force increased – but the average effort per individual decreased.

This decline was due to two main factors: the difficulty of coordinating within larger teams, and “social loafing”, the tendency for individuals to reduce effort when they feel less accountable within a group.

But many animal species, from fish schools to lion prides, cooperate successfully in large groups. Could they somehow overcome this decline in efficiency?

If any animal could, it would be ants. In a new study published in Current Biology, we aimed to find out whether weaver ant chains suffered from the Ringelmann effect.

Group work – for ants

Ants are champions of collective action, seamlessly coordinating complex tasks across colonies of millions. And among all ant species, the weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) are a standout example.

Weaver ants craft treetop nests by pulling living leaves together and binding them with larval silk. To do so, they form “pulling chains” – each ant gripping the waist of another with its jaws and pulling in unison. The mechanical advantage of these chains has never been investigated.

Weaver ants build a treetop leaf nest.
Chris Reid

We encouraged ants to form chains to pull an artificial paper leaf attached to a force meter which continuously monitored their collective force output. As more ants joined and left the pulling team, we could see how the group’s output changed in real time.

We hypothesised that the force per individual would decrease as chains grew, an idea supported by previous ant research. For instance, fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are known to link together into sticky, raft-like balls to survive floods. When researchers pulled apart balls of varying size, larger groups showed signs of the Ringelmann effect, displaying less resistance per ant as group size increased.

To our surprise, we found that as more weaver ants joined the pulling team, the total force increased as expected – but so did the force per ant. In other words, individual weaver ants actually became more effective as team size grew.

The weaver ants, it seems, are not only able to avoid the Ringelmann effect – they are “superefficient” in their teamwork.

Weaver ants formed chains to pull the paper ‘leaf’ into a nest shape.
Chris Reid

A division of labour

How do weaver ants achieve superefficiency? Is it just a matter of adding more ants to the mix?

Not necessarily.

Superefficiency seems to depend on how ants arrange themselves. Weaver ants performed best when arranging into a single, long chain rather than several short ones.

We also noticed that the posture of ants differed depending on their position in a chain. Ants at the rear stretched out their hind legs – a posture which helps them passively resist the counter-force of the leaf.

Ants positioned in the middle or front of the chain instead maintained a more crouched posture, typically associated with active pulling. This pattern hinted at a division of labour within chains.

Ants change their roles in the pulling chain depending on where they are positioned.
Chris Reid

In our study, we propose a mechanism we call the “force ratchet”. The weakest link in pulling chains is not the ants’ connections to each other, but their grip on the ground.

When pulling alone, the maximum pulling force an ant can produce is limited by slipping. But in a chain, rear ants can act as passive resisters, increasing the contact to the ground and preventing slippage.

This allows the front ants to pull harder, storing and transmitting force through the chain itself. This division of labour locks in the force and prevents backsliding.

More is different

While speculative, our model provides a compelling new perspective on how teams might overcome the common pitfall of the Ringelmann effect, at least in the application of physical force.

Future experiments – such as varying the slipperiness of the ground or the leaf weight – will be critical to confirm our force ratchet hypothesis.

In a chain, rear ants can help the group increase contact with the ground to prevent slippage.
Chris Reid

Our research has broad implications, especially for the field of autonomous robotics. In swarm robotics, teams of small, inexpensive robots are designed to collaborate to achieve tasks beyond the capabilities of any single group member.

Yet, so far, pulling robot teams have at best achieved linear scaling: doubling the number of robots doubles the force output. This means robots may not be suffering from the Ringelmann effect, but they’re also not “superefficient”.

Programming robots with ant-mimicking strategies – such as the weaver ants’ force ratchet – could improve their performance and allow machines to become more than the sum of their parts.

Our study also challenges the ubiquity of the Ringelmann effect. Sometimes, when it comes to teamwork, more is different. And for some animals at least, more really is better. If weaver ants were cooks, it’s fair to say they might just make the best broth.

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August 12, 2025
Gianluigi Donnarumma: Paris St-Germain boss Luis Enrique says club support decision to drop goalkeeper for Super Cup against Tottenham

In a social media post later on Tuesday, Donnarumma said he was unsure he would play for the Ligue 1 club again.

“I hope to have the opportunity to look the fans at the Parc des Princes in the eyes one more time and say goodbye as it should be done,” he said.

“If that doesn’t happen, I want you to know that your support and affection mean the world to me and I will never forget it.”

PSG captain Marquinhos heaped praise on Donnarumma, adding: “It’s always difficult, I’ve been here 12 or 13 years and I’ve seen other players leave.

“Unfortunately that’s part and parcel of football. Only thing we can say is to give everything to the players until the last minute they are at the club.

“Players come and go but the history will always be here. Gigi is part of the history and we are proud of him.

“What he pulled off last season was incredible, we owe him a lot. If he goes, a huge thanks to him.”

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August 12, 2025