Friday links

August 18 is the anniversary of the death of Genghis Khan: founder of the Mongolian Empire, prolific spreader of DNA, and climate change hero. Related: Why Genghis Khan’s tomb can’t be found.

Cancer Treatment in the 19th Century.

Building the Middle Ages one LEGO Brick at a time.

National Geographic shows you how easily rats can swim up through your toilet.

Florida company offering 'alien abduction insurance' has sold nearly 6,000 policies.

The surprisingly interesting history of the lightbulb.

ICYMI, most recent links are here, and include the anniversary of the battle of Thermopylae, washing machine history, Churchillian and Shakespearean insults, underwater wine cellars, and why only some people remember dreams.

JWA Velocirapturds mission requests

August 6:

Here is the updated list of approved requests during Rank 3 and 4 missions. We will announce what's required for the missions each rank/week; please keep an eye on the game chat. Note that these are subject to change, especially if we keep getting repeat requests and our reserves run low. :)

Commons:

Apatosaurus
Ankylosaurus Gen 2
Dilophosaurus Gen 2
Dimetrodon Gen 2
Dimorphodon
Diplocaulus
Einiosaurus
Euoplocephalus
Gallimimus
Hatzegoteryx
Iguanodon
Irritator Gen 2
Lythronax
Majungasaurus
Monolophosaurus Gen 2
Nundasuchus
Ophiacodon
Parasaurolophus
Purussaurus Gen 2
Sarcosuchus
Stegosaurus
Stygimoloch Gen 2
Suchomimus
Tanycolagreus

Rares:

Amargasaurus
Ankylocodon
Diplotator
Einiasuchus
Gorgosaurus
Majundasuchus
Nodosaurus
Ornithomimus
Purrolyth
Suchotator
Triceratops
Tupandactylus

The World War of the Ants – The Army Ant

Ant bridge - source

Interesting videos on army ant (wiki) behavior - army ant colonies consist of the queen, the queen’s brood (her eggs), soldiers, and the workers. Army ants are nomadic, making temporary nests as they travel. The nest is made up of the army ants themselves. They form walls and fasten onto each other by using their mandibles (jaws) and their claws. This way, they can hang from a log or another surface while the nest encloses the queen and her brood.

Wikipedia: 

The name army ant (or legionary ant or marabunta is applied to over 200 ant species in different lineages. Due to their aggressive predatory foraging groups, known as "raids", a huge number of ants forage simultaneously over a certain area.

Another shared feature is that, unlike most ant species, army ants do not construct permanent nests; an army ant colony moves almost incessantly over the time it exists.

More at pests.org and DK Find Out