Unearthing Secrets: Ancient Ants, Caterpillar Camouflage, and Mysterious Tombs

Exciting discoveries in science reveal a 113 million-year-old ant fossil, a macabre bone-collecting caterpillar in Hawaii, and a 5,000-year-old tomb of an elite woman in Peru. Additionally, a Russian satellite potentially linked to space weapons is reportedly malfunctioning, posing questions about Moscow's space program ambitions.

In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have uncovered the fossilized remains of the oldest-known ant, Vulcanidris cratensis, in northeastern Brazil. This ancient winged insect, part of the extinct lineage of 'hell ants,' lived around 113 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period and had distinctive scythe-like jaws.

Meanwhile, in Hawaii, researchers have identified a carnivorous caterpillar species, dubbed the 'bone collector,' on the island of Oahu. This caterpillar has a unique survival tactic, scavenging spider webs for prey and camouflaging itself using collected inedible body parts of dead insects.

In another fascinating archaeological find, the tomb of an elite woman from the ancient Caral civilization was discovered in Peru, highlighting the prominence of women 5,000 years ago. The city of Caral thrived in isolation, contemporaneously with ancient Egyptian and Sumerian cultures.

(With inputs from agencies.)