Tiny Termites Built an Ancient City Larger Than Britain
astonishing: something that is extremely surprising or impressive
Termites, tiny insects only about 1.3 cm long, have built a city bigger than any city humans have ever made. This termite city in northeastern Brazil has over 200 million mounds. It is so big that it covers an area nearly as large as Britain, about 230,000 square kilometers.
The amount of earth moved by the termites to build this city is equal to 4,000 Great Pyramids of Giza. Some of these mounds are thousands of years old, although not all of them are still in use. The oldest mound in this termite city is estimated to be around 3,800 years old.
Stephen J. Martin, an insect expert, said, “Imagine it being a city. We’ve never built a city that big.” This astonishing discovery shows the incredible capabilities of these tiny creatures.
Sample sentences
1. The magician’s final trick was so astonishing that the audience was left in stunned silence.
2. The view from the top of the mountain was absolutely astonishing.
3. She has an astonishing ability to remember even the smallest details.
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A Metropolis of 200 Million Termite Mounds Was Hidden in Plain Sight