Sci-ANT-ific !

About Sci-ANT-ific !

A podcast to learn more about ants.

Publisher

USP

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Jan 2026

Latest episode

19 Mar 2026

Latest episodes

12 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   19 Mar 2026

   #12 For kids: Work in the anthill

   In this episode, we crawl deep inside the nest to discover the amazing world of ant jobs! From brave soldiers who guard the gates to clever foragers who find food, from tiny nurses who care for baby ants to huge workers who dig tunnels—every ant has a special role. But here's the really cool part: ants don't go to school to learn their jobs. They just GROW into them! CREDITS Script: Nicolas Châline Revision: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Editing: Carolina Santos Soundtrack: Radiadora Sonorização Visual Identity: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Tradutor: João Pedro Moraes

2. 

   12 Mar 2026

   #11 Preserving ant diversity: Museums and protected areas

   How do we protect ant species we haven't even discovered yet? In this episode, we explore the crucial roles of natural history museums and protected areas in preserving ant diversity. Follow us on Instagram: @sciantific. Tips or questions? Send us an e-mail: sciantificpodcast@gmail.com. CREDITS Script: Nicolas Châline Host: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Editing: Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Soundtrack: Radiadora Sonorização Visual Identity: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira

3. 

   5 Mar 2026

   #10 Inside ant-plant relationships

   In this episode, we explore the fascinating relationships between ants and plants. From ants that live inside hollow thorns, defending their host in exchange for shelter, to plants that produce special food rewards to attract their tiny bodyguards—discover the incredible world of mutualism. Learn how some plants have evolved specific structures like domatia and extrafloral nectaries just for their ant partners, and how ants, in return, protect their green hosts from hungry herbivores. Some ant-plant relationships are so tight that neither can survive without the other! ** This episode was dubbed from Portuguese to English using the Eleven Labs artificial intelligence tool ** Follow us on Instagram: @sciantific. Tips or questions? Send us an e-mail: sciantificpodcast@gmail.com. CREDITS Script: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira and Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Guest Researchers: Inácio Teles and Flávio Camarota Automatic Dubbing: ElevenLabs (funded by PPG-PSE-USP PROEX funding) Editing: Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Soundtrack: Radiadora Sonorização Visual Identity: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira

4. 

   26 Feb 2026

   #09 For kids: What is the childhood of ants like?

   Hey, little explorers! Have you ever seen a baby ant? Probably not, because they don't look like their parents at all! In this special kids' episode, we crawl inside the nest to discover what ant's childhood is really like. From tiny eggs to wiggly larvae to pupae, and finally to adult ants, we follow the amazing transformation these little insects go through. CREDITS Script: Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Revision: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Presentation: Camila Penna Soundtrack: Carolina Santos and Diogo Leite Editing: Diogo Leite Visual Identity: Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Translator: João Pedro Moraes

5. 

   19 Feb 2026

   #08 How insects navigate without maps

   How do ants find their way back home after wandering hundreds of meters in search of food? How do bees communicate the location of flowers with pinpoint accuracy, all through a dance? In this episode, we explore the extraordinary navigational abilities of insects. Follow us on Instagram: @sciantific. Tips or questions? Send us an e-mail: sciantificpodcast@gmail.com. CREDITS Script: Nicolas Châline Host: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Editing: Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Soundtrack: Radiadora Sonorização Visual Identity: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira

6. 

   12 Feb 2026

   #07 The microbiome of ants

   In this episode, we show that ants don't live alone. Inside their bodies thrives a complex community of bacteria, fungi, and microbes that influence everything from digestion to disease resistance. In this episode, we explore the fascinating science of ant microbiota and the invisible partners that help colonies thrive. A deep dive into symbiosis at the smallest scale. ** This episode was dubbed from Portuguese to English using the Eleven Labs artificial intelligence tool ** Follow us on Instagram: @sciantific. Tips or questions? Send us an e-mail: sciantificpodcast@gmail.com. CREDITS Script: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira and Carolina Santos Guest Researchers: Marília Bitar and Mariana Barcoto Automatic Dubbing: ElevenLabs (funded by PPG-PSE-USP PROEX funding) Editing: Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Soundtrack: Radiadora Sonorização Visual Identity: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Cover photo: Lanan et al. 2016 (https://www.nature.com/articles/ismej2015264)

7. 

   5 Feb 2026

   #06 For kids: Where did the ants come from?

   Hey, little explorers! Have you ever wondered where ants came from? 🐜✨ In this special episode, we’re going on an adventure back in time—way before dinosaurs!—to discover the amazing story of ant ancestors. We’ll learn how they started as tiny insects and became the super-strong, super-smart colony builders we see today. Put on your adventure ears and let’s uncover the big story of some very small creatures! CREDITS Script: Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Revision: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Host: Camila Penna Soundtrack: Radiadora sonorização Editing: Carolina Santos Visual identity: Carolina Santos Translator:João Pedro Moraes

8. 

   29 Jan 2026

   #05 Inside the minds of social insects: Cognition and personality

   This episode, we move beyond instinct to explore the fascinating frontier of cognition and individual personality in social insects. Discover how scientists test learning and memory in a creature with a brain smaller than a pinhead, and what it reveals about the roots of intelligence. Follow us on Instagram: @sciantific. Tips or questions? Send us an e-mail: sciantificpodcast@gmail.com. CREDITS Script: Luana Ferreira Fedele e Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Revision: Nicolas Châline Host: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Soundtrack: Radiadora Sonorização Edition: Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Cover photo: Sean O'Donnell

9. 

   22 Jan 2026

   #04 Leaf-cutter ants and the division of labor

   Dive deep into the world of nature’s most sophisticated farmers: the leafcutter ants. In this episode, we uncover how these tiny insects have perfected an agricultural system millions of years before humans. Discover their incredible division of labor—from foragers and gardeners to soldiers—and explore the fascinating fungus they cultivate in subterranean farms. We’ll also learn how a colony functions as a true superorganism, communicating and collaborating without a central leader. Follow us on Instagram: @sciantific. Tips or questions? Send us an e-mail: sciantificpodcast@gmail.com. ** This episode was dubbed from Portuguese to English using the Eleven Labs artificial intelligence tool ** CREDITS Script: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira and Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Guest Researchers: Juliane Lopes and Isabella Bueno Automatic Dubbing: ElevenLabs (funded by PPG-PSE-USP PROEX funding) Editing: Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Soundtrack: Radiadora Sonorização Visual Identity: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira

10. 

    15 Jan 2026

    #03 For kids: Knowing the ants

    Hey, kids! Let's go on a tiny adventure! In this special episode, we meet our incredible six-legged friends: ant! We'll learn what makes an ant an insect, discover their superpowers, and find out why these little creatures are so important and COOL. Perfect for curious young explorers who love bugs, science, and fun stories! Put on your listening ears and join us! Follow us on Instagram: @sciantific. Tips or questions? Send us an e-mail: sciantificpodcast@gmail.com. CREDITS Script: Nicolas Châline Revision: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Editing: Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Soundtrack: Radiadora Sonorização Visual Identity: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Tradutor: João Pedro Moraes

11. 

    8 Jan 2026

    #02 Evolutionary history of ants

    How did ants evolve from bees into one of Earth's most dominant and ubiquitous life forms? In this episode, we travel back over 100 million years to meet the ancestors of modern ants and trace their incredible evolutionary journey. Follow us on Instagram: @sciantific. Tips or questions? Send us an e-mail: sciantificpodcast@gmail.com. ** This episode was dubbed from Portuguese to English using the Eleven Labs artificial intelligence tool ** CREDITS Script: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira and Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Guest Researchers: Fabrício Baccaro and Rodrigo Feitosa Automatic Dubbing: ElevenLabs (funded by PPG-PSE-USP PROEX funding) Editing: Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Soundtrack: Radiadora Sonorização Visual Identity: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Cover photo: Alex Wild

12. 

    1 Jan 2026

    #01 The incredible tropical ants

    In our debut episode, we explore the world of tropical ants! Meet the nomadic army ants that terrify the forest; the giant Dinoponera, which live without a queen; and the leaf-cutters, farmers for 50 million years. Discover the powerful sting of the bullet ant and a clever species that uses its prey's own spines for defense. A world of complexity on a tiny scale.CREDITSScript: Clover Ribeiro and Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Translation: Amanda Montanhini Hosted by: Maria Eduarda Lima Vieira Editing: Carolina Rodrigues dos Santos Review: Nicolas Châline Visual Identity: Maria Eduarda Lima VieiraCover image: Alex Wild and Canva