  
Towers Of Blind Termites
 Would it
be possible for blind workers to construct a building as tall
as the Empire State Building? Such a feat is out of the question
for humankind. However, blind termites, throughout their lives,
build nests that are as high as the Empire State Building
on a scale proportional to their sizes.
One of the most important characteristics of termites is that
they make nests so strong that even humans can demolish them
only with difficulty. They build different kinds of nests
in accordance with their needs. While some of them build nests
that protect them from burning heat, others build nests in
order to seek shelter from rain. These nests can be built
either beneath or on top of the soil or even inside trees.
When we look inside a termite's nest, we can see its spongy
appearance. The nest consists of numerous cells that are about
2.5 cm (1 inch) in width or narrower. These cells are connected
to each other by narrow passages through which only termites
can pass. The raw material the termites use while making these
marvelous buildings consists only of soil, their saliva and
excrement. Using such simple materials, some of them make
nests so strong that they can only be demolished by using
dynamite, and which possess such detailed systems as labyrinths,
air circulation passages and canals.
The main miraculous aspect of termites that can build towers
like these marvelous nests is that, as mentioned above, they
are utterly blind. This is an important point. Termites can
see neither the tunnels they make, nor the material and soil
they use, nor the cells they construct.
When the works of termites and humans are compared, the marvel
at what termites do can be seen even more clearly. So in order
to make a better evaluation of the "skyscrapers"
which termites build, New York City's Empire State Building
in America will make a suitable comparison. The building is
443 meters (1,453 feet) tall. Termites are insects of 1-2
cm (0.4-0.8 inches) height. In spite of their tiny bodies,
they build giant nests towering 7 meters (23 feet) high. If
termites were as tall as men, their spectacular nests would
then be four times higher than the Empire State Building.
Termites have been doing an exceptional job that even man
cannot achieve, for millions of years-ever since they were
created.
The One Who has created termites with all their characteristics
is Allah. With the marvelous constructions Allah makes termites
build, He, the Lord of all the worlds, introduces us to His
boundless might and knowledge. As He reveals in the Qur'an:
Allah is the Creator of everything and
He is Guardian over everything. (Surat az-Zumar: 62)
|
