UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY OF ANTS: AN INVITATION TO RECONSIDER THE BIOLOGY WE TEACH AND THE STORIES WE HAVE BEEN TELLING

Abstract

This text shares our experience of living with ants during the pandemic, which prompted us to reflect on how we interact with other species. It invites us to question the ways in which the stories we tell are shaped by dominant ideas about how to live in the world, and how these ideas influence biology teaching, especially when it comes to ants. Framed within the context of the Anthropocene, we hope this conversation sparks a deeper awareness, helping us to recognize the creativity of beings beyond humans, their ability to build a world meant for collective life, and the strategies they've developed to adapt, survive, and keep evolving in the face of constant challenges. In this text, we present a map of the experiences we've had living alongside ants and the ways in which this has made us rethink how to escape the influence of dominant ideas. We're looking for ways to create a more caring world and a teaching approach that embraces new methods, inventions, and, most importantly, different ways of feeling and perceiving the world around us.