The Saharan silver ant is one of the most heat tolerant animals on the planet. These hardy ants risk the extreme midday Saharan temperatures to scavenge corpses of heat-stricken animals. It is a bold venture that can last for only about ten minutes a day, before the colony must return to the nest or succumb to the heat.

For these silver ants it is a delicate balance as they must time their activity between when the predators are sheltering and the midday heat becomes lethal. To be able to withstand such deadly temperatures they have long legs that elevate their body above the scorching sand, and special heat-shock proteins so hot bodies continue to function. These super-fast ants are navigational experts that always know the shortest route back to the nest.

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