Ants are crawling around almost everywhere on Earth: inside jungles, across deserts, and maybe even in your kitchen.
But what’s the total number of ants on our planet? Researchers now have an answer. By compiling data from various countries, scientists at the University of Hong Kong recently estimated that there are 20 quadrillion ants scurrying around the globe. That’s a 20 followed by 15 zeros. In other words, there are 2.5 million ants per human!
Researchers conducted the study as part of a global effort to monitor insect populations. Ants play an important role in ecosystems. The tunnels they dig help plants get the water and air they need to grow. Ants also move seeds, which helps spread plants to new places. They even eat some insects that can harm crops.
“I think we can now start to appreciate just how important they are,” says Patrick Schultheiss, a lead scientist on the study.