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Wed, Jul 15, 2026 05:46 PM All times are UTC

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Benoit Guénard

Associate professor, University of Hong Kong
I am an ecologist interested in various aspects of the diversity of life. My research seeks to answer the following questions. Where are the most species-rich regions of the world? How can some regions sustain thousands of species while others have only a few dozen? Were today’s most diverse regions as diverse 10, 50, or 100 million years ago? Do different groups of organisms follow the same diversity patterns? What effects have human changes on species richness and composition?

These “basic” questions are still poorly understood today, despite the fact that we live in a biodiversity crisis where species go extinct daily. To address these questions, I study some of the most fascinating and ecologically important organisms: ants! My research focus on large-scale patterns of ant diversity, community ecology, biological invasions, behavioral ecology, foraging ecology and taxonomy.

I am also a strong advocate of science communication and of the importance to raise public awareness about biodiversity. To this aim, I founded and direct the Hong Kong Biodiversity Museum (https://www.hkbiodiversitymuseum.org/).

Earth harbours 20,000,000,000,000,000 ants – and they weigh more than wild birds and mammals combined

Sep 20, 2022 06:16 am UTC| Nature

Have you ever wondered exactly how many ants live on Earth? Possibly not, but its certainly a question weve asked ourselves. Our research published today provides an approximate answer. We conservatively estimate our...

Economy

ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain

The European Central Bank (ECB) does not currently see evidence that the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran is triggering broader inflationary pressures across the euro area, although policymakers remain alert to potential...

Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions

Asian stock markets traded mostly higher on Wednesday after weaker-than-expected U.S. inflation data eased expectations of a near-term Federal Reserve interest rate hike, although escalating tensions in the Middle East...

Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment

Most Asian currencies traded in narrow ranges on Wednesday as investors remained cautious over escalating tensions in the Middle East and weaker-than-expected Chinese economic growth, despite a softer U.S. dollar following...

China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline

Chinas new home prices continued to decline in June, highlighting the ongoing challenges facing the countrys property market despite signs that the pace of deterioration is easing. Official data released by the National...

US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions

U.S. consumer inflation likely eased in June, but economists say the slowdown may provide little relief for households or significantly reduce the likelihood of another Federal Reserve interest rate hike later this year,...

Politics

Trump ICC Sanctions Challenged as Advocacy Groups File Free Speech Lawsuit

Two U.S.-based advocacy organizations have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that sanctions targeting the International Criminal Court (ICC) violate First Amendment free speech protections. The...

US Military Launches New Strikes on Iran, Targets Threats to Strait of Hormuz Shipping

The U.S. military launched a new wave of strikes against Iran on Wednesday, marking another escalation in tensions across the Middle East. According to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the military operation began at...

Ukraine, EU Sign Landmark Drone Deal to Boost Defense Production

Ukraine and the European Union have signed a landmark drone cooperation agreement aimed at combining Ukraines battlefield expertise with Europes industrial strength to accelerate drone manufacturing and strengthen regional...

Zelenskiy Cabinet Reshuffle Puts Ukraine Defense Minister Fedorov’s Future in Focus

As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy prepares another cabinet reshuffle, the future of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has emerged as one of the biggest questions, with potential implications for Ukraines war...

Trump Administration Launches AI Cybersecurity Partnership to Protect Critical Infrastructure

The Trump administration is launching a new initiative to strengthen U.S. cybersecurity by bringing together leading artificial intelligence developers and operators of critical infrastructure to identify and address...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Apple Intelligence Cleared for China as Alibaba and Baidu AI Power iPhone Features

Apple has moved a step closer to launching Apple Intelligence in China after the countrys cyberspace regulator officially registered the companys on-device generative AI service for use on iPhones. The approval marks a...

Alibaba Stock Jumps as China Approves Apple Intelligence Powered by Qwen AI

Alibaba Group shares climbed about 5% in U.S. premarket trading on Wednesday after Chinese regulators approved Apples on-device artificial intelligence platform for launch in China, marking a major step for the iPhone...

ASML Raises 2026 Outlook as AI Chip Demand Lifts Q2 Earnings

ASML Holding (AS: ASML) reported stronger-than-expected second-quarter 2026 earnings on Wednesday, fueled by robust demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chip manufacturing equipment and higher sales from its installed...

Arm Stock Falls After HSBC Downgrade, Citing Limited Near-Term AI Upside

Arm Holdings shares came under pressure after HSBC downgraded the semiconductor designer to hold from buy,arguing that the companys recent rally has already priced in much of its long-term artificial intelligence (AI)...

SK Hynix Stock Soars as AI Memory Demand Outlook Fuels Chip Rally

SK Hynix shares surged nearly 13% in Seoul on Wednesday, leading a broad rally in South Korean semiconductor stocks as easing U.S. inflation and renewed optimism over artificial intelligence (AI) memory demand boosted...