Why can ants lift 40 times there own weight?

Question

On average, an ant can lift items much heavier than it's own body weight by a considerable degree. I know there is an answer involving physics; does anyone want to give me a detailed, comprehensive answer? What I do know is that if a human were that small it could easily do the same, and if an ant where big enough to trample a city it would collapse under it's own body.

Answer 1

They have evolved to fill the niche where they need to do this.
The answer is not in the Physics but in the physiology of their muscles.

You have been watching too many 1950 horror movies. Try to get out a bit more.

Answer 2

Don't forget about the Gravity force. Why human can foothold in earth surface? Because our earth have its gravity force in the core of earth. Compare with the moon's gravity force which is smaller than the earth has. Thats why people is fly over in free space in moon.

The gravity force is also influenced by the height. this is the main key why ants can lift 40 times there own weight because ants is small and its height is not more than 1 centimetre which is make their gravity is smaller than human does.

Conclusion:" You need more power to lift up somethings in order to counter the gravity force plus there own pure weight". the formula is W (power) = Mass (m) * gravity force (g)