One massive group of ants has a secret supersoldier programme that’s been locked away for 35 to 60 million years.

The Pheidole ants are an exceptionally diverse group with over 1,100 species. They’re also known as big-headed ants because their soldier caste has unusually large heads. Until now, we knew that a few of the Pheidole – just 8 out of 1,100 – can also produce supersoldiers, which are even larger than normal soldiers and have even more enormous heads. They use their outsized noggins to block their nest entrances against invading army ants.

Now, Ehab Abouheif has found that the supersoldiers are the result of a genetic programme that runs throughout the entire Pheidole dynasty. It’s likely that every