Saharan ants inspire cooling breakthrough

The Saharan silver ant (Cataglyphis bombycina) is the world’s fastest species of ants, according to zoologists. It also lives in one of the most extreme heat landscapes on the planet.

In 2015, researchers from Columbia Engineering, University of Zurich and University of Washington discovered that the ants have a coat of uniquely shaped hairs that enable them to control electromagnetic waves over an extremely broad range, from the solar spectrum through to the thermal radiation spectrum. This helps them reduce their body temperature, with a combination of enhanced optimal reflection and radiative heat dissipation.

• Read more about this research here.

Research lead Nanfang Yu, then Assistant Professor of Applied Physics at Columbia Engineering, said at the time of publication that the discovery that that there is a biological solution to a thermoregulatory problem could lead to the development of novel flat optical components that exhibit optimal cooling properties. 

“Such biologically inspired cooling surfaces will have high reflectivity in the solar spectrum and high radiative efficiency in the thermal radiation spectrum,” Yu explained. “So, this may generate useful applications such as a cooling surface for vehicles, buildings, instruments, and even clothing.”

I2Cool is an example of how this research did, in fact, inspire further breakthroughs.

The company was founded by experts from the School of Energy and Environment at the City University of Hong Kong.

Following extensive R&D, in 2020 the company successfully obtained several international patents for a composite passive radiative cooling paint that delivers cooling without the need for electricity.

It works through the materials reflecting incoming solar radiation while releasing thermal energy through the mid-infrared atmospheric window. This allows treated surfaces to dissipate heat continuously without consuming electricity or using refrigerants.

The product range has evolved to include coatings, membranes, window films and textiles which have since been used in over 30 countries, including Australia. Sectors where the technology has gained traction include architecture, power, telecommunications, logistics, agriculture, solar PV, logistics and the chemical industry.

In August 2026, the solutions range expanded further with the launch of CorroCool, a cooling and anti-corrosion coating developed for metal structures, outdoor electrical cabinets and industrial equipment.

The new product is suitable for industrial and infrastructure applications, where prolonged solar exposure can raise surface and internal operating temperatures.

Rather than replacing air conditioning, the company says its technology can work alongside existing systems by reducing solar heat gain and lowering the cooling load placed on buildings and equipment.

It can also provide passive thermal protection in locations where mechanical cooling is unavailable, impractical or too costly to operate continuously.

“Extreme heat is no longer limited to regions traditionally associated with hot climates,” explains Professor Martin Zhu, co-founder and CEO of i2Cool.

“As heatwaves become more frequent, cooling solutions must be accessible, energy-efficient and adaptable to existing buildings and infrastructure. Electricity-free cooling can become part of a broader heat-resilience strategy.”

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