Leptanneila thai, as it is named, is the smallest ant in the world. It is only half a millimetre in size.

It was discovered in Thailand in 1997. Found underneath the ground in a flourishing forest environment, the ant, which has no eyes, uses antennae to communicate and chart its direction.

Unlike other ants, Leptanneila thai is a skilled hunter.

For those who want to see this kind of ant, they can discover the mystery of the world's smallest ant and its kingdom at the National Science and Technology Fair 2006, which will be held from August 11 to 22 at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Bitec).

Using a microscope of 60 times magnification, the mysteries of the thin soft-brown ant will be revealed at the exhibition hosted by the National Science Museum.

The exhibition will be held in an area of 40,000 square metres with the hope that people will learn more about science, said Science Minister Pravich Rattanapian.

Apart from the smallest ant, aerogel, a special porous material, will also be on show, he said. Aerogel is a silicon-based solid with a porous, sponge-like structure in which 99.8 per cent of the volume is empty space. It is used in Nasa spacecraft.

Aerogel was placed on Nasa's Stardust Spacecraft to capture comet samples and interstellar dust the craft encountered during its journey. The dust was later analysed by scientists.

Produced by high temperature and pressure-critical-point drying of a gel composed of colloidal silica structural units filled with solvent, aerogel is 1,000 times less dense than glass and is heat resistant up to 1,500 degree Celsius.

Pravich said Thailand had received support from Nasa to bring 10 square centimetres of aerogel for demonstration at the science exhibition.

The ministry had received support from agencies in seven other countries to display their scientific projects at the event.

The China Academy of Science, for example, will demonstrate a new technological development to help the disabled, as well as other innovations on robotics, green energy, and environmental management. Germany will present renewable energy development. Japan will host a training course for the public to make paper aeroplanes and will also conduct a competition. The event will let children learn science through experiments. They will get a chance to make their own chocolate recipe, extract DNA from a banana and make miniature volcanoes from kitchen materials.

Pongpen Sutharoj

The Nation