Fire ants form bonds that strengthen under force, researchers have found. The team led by a professor from Binghamton University in New York studied the properties of buoyant rafts formed by fire ants on water. In collaboration with the Vernerey Soft MatterMechanics Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder, Assistant Professor Rob Wagner studied the adaptive response of ant rafts to mechanical load. Their findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, revealed their insights into the unique bond behaviour exhibited by these natural structures. Unlike conventional materials, which are passive in nature, fire ant rafts possessed dynamic bonds that strengthened under applied force, a phenomenon known as catch bond behaviour. Wagner and his team claimed that, regardless of pulling speed, the mechanical response of ant rafts remained consistent, suggesting a reflexive tightening of bonds to enhance cohesion within the colony. They said the research's implications extend beyond entomology, offering promising avenues for the development of self-healing materials in engineering and biomedical fields. It added that by mimicking the catch bond behaviour observed in fire ant rafts, engineers aim to create artificial materials capable of autonomous self-strengthening in response to mechanical stress. Wagner envisions a future in which these innovative materials enhance the durability and longevity of biomedical implants, adhesives, fibre composites, and soft robotics components.