Shouldn't the folks behind the recent Ant-Man superhero movie have contacted biology professor and ant expert Deborah Gordon for production advice? Oh, wait, she says they did.
"I said, 'First of all, it should be Ant-Woman.' And they never called again."
Even Gordon, MS '77, didn't realize how prescient she was until the film was released. Among the details that Hollywood took liberties with is the gender of the flying ant named Antony: The size of the head, notes Gordon, is a telltale indicator of a female.
Regardless, Gordon liked the flick and says cheerily, "I thought it was wonderful how it captured all the misconceptions about ants in one movie." That refers in part to the notion that ants have a leader; they don't.
Nevertheless, the communication device in Ant-Man's helmet has made her quite jealous. "I want one," she says, promising only to use it for learning, not power.
