New research published in Science Advances suggests that transposable elements — often called "jumping genes" — played a key role in the diversification of ants after the extinction of the dinosaurs about 66 million years ago. These genetic elements can move around within a genome, sometimes inserting themselves into new locations and altering the genetic code. This study, led by Dr. Lukas Schrader from the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity at the University of Münster, highlights a link between the number of transposable elements in ant genomes and their current species diversity. The more transposable elements a lineage of ants has, the more species-rich it tends to be today. The researchers identified several instances of increased transposable element activity in the ancestors of the largest ant groups during the early Palaeogene period — a time period that began shortly after the dinosaur extinction. These bursts of genetic activity likely contributed to the eventual diversification of ants into the thousands of species found today. To reach these conclusions, the team analyzed the genomes of 163 ant species from 12 of the 16 living ant subfamilies. This extensive genetic comparison allowed them to trace the evolutionary history and activity of transposable elements over the past 100 million years. The study also uncovered a connection between transposable elements and the expansion of gene families crucial for chemical communication in ants. Ants rely heavily on chemical signals to interact with one another, and odorant receptors are essential for detecting these signals. The research suggests that transposable elements may have helped expand these gene families, enabling more complex social behaviors and interactions within ant colonies. This work provides new insights into how genetic changes can drive the evolution of complex traits and biodiversity. By linking transposable elements to key evolutionary events in ants, the study contributes to a broader understanding of how genetic mechanisms shape life on Earth.