Scientists find oldest active termite mounds in the world 02:38

An international team of scientists from South Africa and Hungary has found the world’s oldest active termite mounds, and they turn out to be older than human civilization. As analysis shows, the age of some of these structures reaches 34 thousand years. The research was published in the scientific journal magazine Total Environmental Science (STE).

“This is older than the famous cave paintings in Europe and even older than the Last Glacial Maximum, when huge ice sheets covered much of the northern hemisphere,” said lead author Michelle Francis.

Termite mounds in South Africa turned out to be almost nine times older than the oldest termite mounds in Brazil, which are 4 thousand years old.

A large insect habitat has been found along the Buffels River in Namaqualand on the west coast of South Africa, where 20% of the landscape is covered by similar structures.

Researchers found that termites play an important role in carbon capture and storage. One nest can hold up to 14 tons of this element.

The team chemically analyzed termite mounds and identified the processes that transport atmospheric carbon into these structures. They found that termites collect organic matter and bring it into their nests, loosening the soil and making it easier for water to penetrate. Microbes in the soil then convert the stored carbon into calcium carbonate.

During heavy rains, the calcium carbonate in the mounds undergoes a chemical reaction with carbon dioxide from the atmosphere dissolved in rainwater. A chemical cascade increases the sequestration (binding) of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

The process captures new carbon about a meter below the surface, allowing it to be stored for long periods of time, the researchers said.

Previous scientists solved The secret of the engineering genius that allows termites to build complex structures.