BRAZIL — Scientists have uncovered tens of millions of termite mounds dating almost 4,000 years, in a remote part of northeast Brazil.<br /><br />According to a new study published in the journal Current Biology, the mounds were made by a species of termite called syntermes dirus, and spread across 230,000 square kilometers.<br /><br />Each conical mound is about 2.5 meters tall and approximately 9 meters wide.<br /><br />The termite mounds contain 10 cubic kilometers of soil, which is equivalent to roughly 4,000 Great Pyramids.<br /><br />Researchers believe the mounds were built as termites carved out extensive networks of undergrounds tunnels to survive, according to Science Magazine.<br /><br />The underground tunnel allows the termites move swiftly in order to feed on dead leaves of caatinga, a specific type of dry, thorny trees whose leaves only falls once a year.<br /><br />The researchers added, "This is the greatest known example of ecosystem engineering by a single insect species."
