Those live ants crawling across the raw beef aren't theater. Formic acid is their defense chemistry, and Redzepi puts it to work as a souring agent where most kitchens reach for citrus or vinegar. Seasoning that can walk off the plate. #FoodHistory #NewNordic #Noma #Cooking #TheStockpot
René Redzepi — An Introduction
A Copenhagen restaurant plate arrives with raw beef and live, crawling ants that carry a sour formic acid, a choice that showcases Redzepi's innovative approach to Nordic cuisine.
www.grandaha.com
October 3, 2026 at 2:22 AM
Those live ants crawling across the raw beef aren't theater. Formic acid is their defense chemistry, and Redzepi puts it to work as a souring agent where most kitchens reach for citrus or vinegar. Seasoning that can walk off the plate. #FoodHistory #NewNordic #Noma #Cooking #TheStockpot
Posted 10 years ago today:
Lewis served a sculptured gelatin dessert, flavored with natural fungi and formic acid, that he extravagantly introduced as Mycol Ant Jello.
Lewis served a sculptured gelatin dessert, flavored with natural fungi and formic acid, that he extravagantly introduced as Mycol Ant Jello.
October 2, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Posted 10 years ago today:
Lewis served a sculptured gelatin dessert, flavored with natural fungi and formic acid, that he extravagantly introduced as Mycol Ant Jello.
Lewis served a sculptured gelatin dessert, flavored with natural fungi and formic acid, that he extravagantly introduced as Mycol Ant Jello.
He traginat un tronc que tenia un niu de formigues vermelles i ara apesto a àcid fórmic
September 28, 2026 at 7:54 AM
He traginat un tronc que tenia un niu de formigues vermelles i ara apesto a àcid fórmic
Yes. I can smell the formic acid.
September 28, 2026 at 2:43 AM
Yes. I can smell the formic acid.
formica laminate is made with formic acid which comes from ants. that's why some retro counters and tabletops have that distinctive speckled pattern, it's a coincidence that it resembles speckled granite or quartz. but nope, that's just lower-grade product using unbleached less finely ground up ants
September 26, 2026 at 5:22 AM
formica laminate is made with formic acid which comes from ants. that's why some retro counters and tabletops have that distinctive speckled pattern, it's a coincidence that it resembles speckled granite or quartz. but nope, that's just lower-grade product using unbleached less finely ground up ants
It's the formic acid, so "acidic" plus "small organic molecule."
September 24, 2026 at 11:49 PM
It's the formic acid, so "acidic" plus "small organic molecule."
I’ve heard it theorised that birds do it to demonstrate vigilance to potential predators, or potentially as a signal of fitness - though as juvenile wagtails do it, that seems less likely. I’m not sure I’ve seen it in inverts before. Some ants spray formic acid. Maybe mimicking those movements?
September 24, 2026 at 9:06 AM
I’ve heard it theorised that birds do it to demonstrate vigilance to potential predators, or potentially as a signal of fitness - though as juvenile wagtails do it, that seems less likely. I’m not sure I’ve seen it in inverts before. Some ants spray formic acid. Maybe mimicking those movements?
Classic example of invasional meltdown. The ants have a mutualism with introduced scale insects. Ant attacks have severely reduced native land crabs, thus altering the forest understory & lowering resistance to invasion by giant African land snails. #bioinvasions
scienceofficial.org/nature/yello...
scienceofficial.org/nature/yello...
Yellow Crazy Ants Defeat Red Crabs with Chemical Attack on Christmas Island
BBC footage shows yellow crazy ants using formic acid to overpower red crabs, highlighting an invasive species crisis that has devastated Christmas Island's ecosystem for decades.
scienceofficial.org
September 22, 2026 at 2:13 PM
Classic example of invasional meltdown. The ants have a mutualism with introduced scale insects. Ant attacks have severely reduced native land crabs, thus altering the forest understory & lowering resistance to invasion by giant African land snails. #bioinvasions
scienceofficial.org/nature/yello...
scienceofficial.org/nature/yello...
Nah...this was my first year doing my own hives so I started with one. The plan was to build a second hive this winter.
Yea I contemplated using Apivar but I decided if the mite infection was that bad, even if the formic kills the hive I can at least still harvest what honey is there after.
Yea I contemplated using Apivar but I decided if the mite infection was that bad, even if the formic kills the hive I can at least still harvest what honey is there after.
September 20, 2026 at 1:06 PM
Nah...this was my first year doing my own hives so I started with one. The plan was to build a second hive this winter.
Yea I contemplated using Apivar but I decided if the mite infection was that bad, even if the formic kills the hive I can at least still harvest what honey is there after.
Yea I contemplated using Apivar but I decided if the mite infection was that bad, even if the formic kills the hive I can at least still harvest what honey is there after.
Sorry to hear that. Formic can be brutal.
Any other hives to swap in a frame of new brood/larva?
Any other hives to swap in a frame of new brood/larva?
September 20, 2026 at 12:56 AM
Sorry to hear that. Formic can be brutal.
Any other hives to swap in a frame of new brood/larva?
Any other hives to swap in a frame of new brood/larva?
It was almost citrus-ish, I guess because of the formic acid.
Kinda like a citrus meat raisin jerky thing?
Kinda like a citrus meat raisin jerky thing?
September 19, 2026 at 9:51 PM
It was almost citrus-ish, I guess because of the formic acid.
Kinda like a citrus meat raisin jerky thing?
Kinda like a citrus meat raisin jerky thing?
so I did not see my queen. The Formic may have killed her. No brood. but a few bees that were emerging. Maybe a quarter of bees I had two weeks ago. But...no queen cells either. Gonna give the hive a week before I write it off for the year. she could be hiding and recovering.
#beekeeping
#beekeeping
September 19, 2026 at 4:54 PM
so I did not see my queen. The Formic may have killed her. No brood. but a few bees that were emerging. Maybe a quarter of bees I had two weeks ago. But...no queen cells either. Gonna give the hive a week before I write it off for the year. she could be hiding and recovering.
#beekeeping
#beekeeping
BAZIC Silicone Glue was recalled in 2026 because it contains methanol, but fails to provide child-proof packaging as required by law.
If consumed, methanol metabolizes into formaldehyde and formic acid, which can cause permanent eye damage, blindness, nervous system failure, and death.
DEATH GLUE.
If consumed, methanol metabolizes into formaldehyde and formic acid, which can cause permanent eye damage, blindness, nervous system failure, and death.
DEATH GLUE.
September 18, 2026 at 4:38 PM
BAZIC Silicone Glue was recalled in 2026 because it contains methanol, but fails to provide child-proof packaging as required by law.
If consumed, methanol metabolizes into formaldehyde and formic acid, which can cause permanent eye damage, blindness, nervous system failure, and death.
DEATH GLUE.
If consumed, methanol metabolizes into formaldehyde and formic acid, which can cause permanent eye damage, blindness, nervous system failure, and death.
DEATH GLUE.
Then you stick it in a jug with a mixture of Formic Acid and Butyl Alcohol (beware fumes) at a 1in depth and let the mixture creep up and stain the paper. If there is no stain at the Malic Acid height of your must, then MLF is complete and you have to add Sulfites to kill off the MLF bacteria.
September 18, 2026 at 7:51 AM
Then you stick it in a jug with a mixture of Formic Acid and Butyl Alcohol (beware fumes) at a 1in depth and let the mixture creep up and stain the paper. If there is no stain at the Malic Acid height of your must, then MLF is complete and you have to add Sulfites to kill off the MLF bacteria.
"He's just like a regular colleague. I mean, once you get past the overwhelming reek of formic acid and a somewhat rigid view of the hierarchy"
September 17, 2026 at 1:02 PM
"He's just like a regular colleague. I mean, once you get past the overwhelming reek of formic acid and a somewhat rigid view of the hierarchy"
Finalitza la prealerta #TRANSCAT per la fuita en el dipòsit d'un camió que transporta àcid fòrmic a Santa Perpètua de Mogoda.
@bomberscat ha finalitzat el transvasament del producte que quedava al dipòsit.
El camió continua la marxa. Cap persona afectada.
@bomberscat ha finalitzat el transvasament del producte que quedava al dipòsit.
El camió continua la marxa. Cap persona afectada.
September 17, 2026 at 11:47 AM
Finalitza la prealerta #TRANSCAT per la fuita en el dipòsit d'un camió que transporta àcid fòrmic a Santa Perpètua de Mogoda.
@bomberscat ha finalitzat el transvasament del producte que quedava al dipòsit.
El camió continua la marxa. Cap persona afectada.
@bomberscat ha finalitzat el transvasament del producte que quedava al dipòsit.
El camió continua la marxa. Cap persona afectada.
#bomberscat ja hem pogut fer el transvasament per gravetat de l'àcid fòrmic a un segon recipient de l'empresa. En aquests moments és segur fer-ne el trasllat. Procedim a netejar la zona.
September 17, 2026 at 11:25 AM
#bomberscat ja hem pogut fer el transvasament per gravetat de l'àcid fòrmic a un segon recipient de l'empresa. En aquests moments és segur fer-ne el trasllat. Procedim a netejar la zona.
⚠️ Una fuita d’àcid posa en alerta Santa Perpètua
Una fuita d'àcid posa en alerta Santa Perpètua
Deu dotacions dels Bombers treballen en una fuita d'àcid fòrmic en un contenidor que transportava un camió al polígon.
liniaxarxa.cat
September 17, 2026 at 10:34 AM
⚠️ Una fuita d’àcid posa en alerta Santa Perpètua
Prealerta #TRANSCAT per una fuita en un camió que transporta àcid fòrmic (ONU 3412) al carrer dels Obradors a Santa Perpètua de Mogoda.
@bomberscat treballa al lloc de l'incident.
@bomberscat treballa al lloc de l'incident.
September 17, 2026 at 9:50 AM
Prealerta #TRANSCAT per una fuita en un camió que transporta àcid fòrmic (ONU 3412) al carrer dels Obradors a Santa Perpètua de Mogoda.
@bomberscat treballa al lloc de l'incident.
@bomberscat treballa al lloc de l'incident.
Treballem en la fuita d'àcid fòrmic, al polígon industrial de Santiga a Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, en un contenidor que transportava un camió (avís 08.52h).
Establim zona de seguretat i tapem el clavegueram per evitar que el vessament arribi a la xarxa.
Establim zona de seguretat i tapem el clavegueram per evitar que el vessament arribi a la xarxa.
September 17, 2026 at 9:48 AM
Treballem en la fuita d'àcid fòrmic, al polígon industrial de Santiga a Santa Perpètua de Mogoda, en un contenidor que transportava un camió (avís 08.52h).
Establim zona de seguretat i tapem el clavegueram per evitar que el vessament arribi a la xarxa.
Establim zona de seguretat i tapem el clavegueram per evitar que el vessament arribi a la xarxa.
WO3-Bi links two jobs: O2-to-H2O2 at the surface and faster Fe3+/Fe2+ cycling through interfacial water. The result is methane-to-formic-acid electrosynthesis with 96.0% apparent FE under the reported conditions. research-pop.com/east-china-n...
East China Normal University team couples inner- and outer-sphere chemistry for methane-to-formic-acid electrosynthesis
Source: https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.6c09942
At a glance
Methane is abundant, but its strong carbon-hydrogen bonds make selective conversion under mild conditions a demanding chemical task. A team ...
research-pop.com
September 16, 2026 at 11:40 AM
WO3-Bi links two jobs: O2-to-H2O2 at the surface and faster Fe3+/Fe2+ cycling through interfacial water. The result is methane-to-formic-acid electrosynthesis with 96.0% apparent FE under the reported conditions. research-pop.com/east-china-n...
Researchers have now determined the precise spatial structure of the “flat” formic acid molecule using an X-ray beam from the PETRA III synchrotron radiation source.
mappingignorance.org/2026/02/24/f...
mappingignorance.org/2026/02/24/f...
Formic acid is not flat
It does not matter how you draw it, a formic acid molecule is effectively three-dimensional at almost every moment
mappingignorance.org
September 16, 2026 at 5:58 AM
Researchers have now determined the precise spatial structure of the “flat” formic acid molecule using an X-ray beam from the PETRA III synchrotron radiation source.
mappingignorance.org/2026/02/24/f...
mappingignorance.org/2026/02/24/f...
There's an article on Wikipedia about Anting (behaviour) could be that the ants formic acid aids the birds defence against parasites, who knew, great photo by the way. Always nice to spot something whilst editing 👀🙂
September 15, 2026 at 6:44 PM
There's an article on Wikipedia about Anting (behaviour) could be that the ants formic acid aids the birds defence against parasites, who knew, great photo by the way. Always nice to spot something whilst editing 👀🙂