US Teen's Ant Experiment Wins National Recognition, Reveals How Ants Navigate Using Visual Landmarks

Most people walk past a trail of ants without giving it a second thought. But for Seungah Chung, a Class 8 student from California, those tiny insects sparked a question that led to a nationally recognised scientific breakthrough.

Using a specially designed maze and 200 red harvester ants, Seungah discovered that the insects rely on visual landmarks in addition to chemical scent trails to navigate their surroundings. Her research earned her a place among the finalists of the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, one of the most prestigious STEM competitions for middle school students in the United States.

A Simple Question Sparked the Research

The project began with a curiosity many people have never considered.

Scientists have long known that ants communicate through chemical pheromone trails. However, Seungah wondered whether scent alone explained how ants consistently found food and returned to their nests.

She asked a simple but important question:

Can ants also remember visual objects around them, just as humans use landmarks to navigate?

Instead of relying on previous studies, she decided to test the idea herself through carefully planned experiments.

How the Experiment Worked

To investigate her hypothesis, Seungah designed a T-shaped maze using 200 red harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex barbatus).

The experiment included:

• Groups of 15 ants released into the maze at a time.
• A small piece of tangerine placed at the end of the correct path as a food reward.
• Artificial landmarks such as fake leaves, sea rocks and colourful building blocks positioned throughout the maze.
• Multiple trials to ensure consistent and reliable observations.

Over time, the ants repeatedly travelled through the maze and learned the route to the food.

The Discovery That Changed Everything

Once the ants had memorised the path, Seungah made one critical change.

Instead of moving the food, she rearranged the landmarks inside the maze.

If the ants had simply memorised left and right turns, they should have reached the food without difficulty.

Instead, many ants became confused and chose incorrect paths despite the food remaining in the same location.

The results strongly suggested that the ants had been using visual landmarks as navigation guides, rather than relying only on scent trails or memorised movements.

Why This Research Is Important

Although the study focused on ants, its implications extend far beyond insect behaviour.

Understanding how tiny-brained insects solve complex navigation problems could help scientists develop:

• Smarter autonomous robots
• Better navigation systems
• AI-powered machines that can operate in unfamiliar environments
• Improved behavioural science models

The experiment also demonstrates how changing a single variable can reveal how animals interpret and interact with the world around them.

National Recognition for Young Scientist

Seungah's research earned her a place as a finalist in the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, a prestigious competition recognising outstanding middle school students conducting original scientific research.

Outside the laboratory, she is also passionate about community service. She volunteers with Ariari21, creating murals for homeless shelters and senior living communities, while also pursuing her interest in art.

Inspired by scientists whose discoveries have transformed lives, Seungah hopes to become a microbiologist in the future.

A Reminder That Great Discoveries Begin with Curiosity

Seungah Chung's achievement shows that meaningful scientific discoveries do not always begin inside advanced laboratories.

Her breakthrough started with a simple observation of ants walking across the ground and a willingness to ask, "Why?"

By carefully designing experiments and testing her ideas, she uncovered new evidence that red harvester ants rely on visual landmarks to navigate, contributing valuable insights to animal behaviour research.

Her journey serves as an inspiring reminder that curiosity, observation and persistence remain the foundation of scientific discovery—regardless of age.

FAQs

Who is Seungah Chung?

Seungah Chung is a California Class 8 student whose research on ant navigation earned national recognition as a finalist in the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge.

What did Seungah Chung discover?

She found that red harvester ants use visual landmarks, in addition to chemical scent trails, to navigate and locate food.

How did she conduct the experiment?

She built a T-shaped maze, used 200 red harvester ants, placed visual landmarks along the route, and later rearranged those landmarks to observe changes in the ants' navigation.

Why is this discovery important?

The findings improve scientists' understanding of animal navigation and could help develop smarter robots, autonomous systems and AI-based navigation technologies.