How animals build complex ‘cities’ without blueprints: The science of self-organizing structures

Termites and corals, among other creatures, construct intricate structures without the aid of blueprints. Dartmouth College's Mark Laidre, through his review in Current Biology, delves into how these animals shape their environments through individual actions leading to complex outcomes. Researchers have found that these structures emerge from local rules and interactions, a concept known as stigmergy, where actions leave traces that guide subsequent behaviors.

For instance, African termite mounds can reach heights of over five meters, featuring internal architecture with parallel floors and spiral ramps, all generated through termite behavior, pheromones, and mud. Similarly, the organization of coral reefs demonstrates how marine organisms can create vast underwater cities. These structures, which can persist for centuries, arise from thousands of small interactions rather than a single plan.

This process showcases the remarkable ability of animals to create highly sophisticated structures through collective response to their environment, without central control or pre-planning.