How ants build colonies and how plants grow are among perplexing questions being discussed by an international group of scientists meeting this week at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. Scientists explore ants,
plants in modelsBy Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.comThey're interested in mathematical modeling, computer simulations or equations they can solve to understand more about the biological and sociological processes involved. At the same time, they are learning how to work together in solving problems.
Ants organize their activity and it's both a biological and social process, with different ants assigned different tasks, pointed out J.B. Nation of the UH mathematics department. "You look at a bunch of ants, and some get food and some defend, and they switch. How do you describe it?"
With plant growth, he said, "How do they develop leaves and what are the patterns?" Sunflower seeds have certain patterns, he said. "How do you develop the junction between the nerve and muscle cell and embryo?"
Nation said they aren't looking at one method or one set of problems. "The whole idea is to get people from different disciplines ... different scientific fields, to look at the overlap between fields.
"What's a pure mathematician doing looking at ants? The problem is interdisciplinary," he said.
"The common thread is provided by looking at systems that are developing, a plant or embryo growing.
"It could be how the economy develops. The laws of developing economy are not totally different from those that develop an ant colony. Some of the mathematics could be similar."
The Advanced Research Workshop is sponsored by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the UH. It began Wednesday and ends tomorrow.
Nation said NATO is sponsoring the workshop to promote cooperation between Eastern and Western countries.
UH participants include professors from the chemistry, mathematics and physiology departments and the John A. Burns School of Medicine. A representative also is attending from the local federal Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Other delegates include scientists from Canada, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
University of Hawaii
