Once upon a time a myth was born that insects, unlike animals, are just a machines that not capable of learning and survive only based on their instincts. That myth has become the widespread opinion. Of course, this opinion is indeed erroneous, like many other widespread opinions. Let us try to find out which part is a myth and which part is true.

Yala national park, Sri Lanka. Category: Action. “The daylight was fading and I was scanning the bush for a leopard. Then, I saw this garden lizard and a common bronzeback snake in the road. When the snake struck, the lizard performed amazing acrobatics to avoid it. The snake didn’t enjoy the extra attention from the crowd of jeeps. The distraction gave the lizard the chance to live another day”. (Photo by Sajith Buddikha Withanage/National Geographic Traveller UK)

Garrett Gerloff (L) of the USA GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team and Sandro Cortese (R) of Germany on OUTDO Kawasaki TPR colide during a warm up session of the the World Superbike Championship on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia, 01 March 2020. (Photo by Scott Barbour/EPA/EFE)

Dutch cyclist Fabio Jakobsen's bicycle (behind, L) flies through the air as he collides with compatriot Dylan Groenewegen (on the ground, L) during the opening stage of the Tour of Poland race in Katowice, southern Poland on August 5, 2020. The Dutch rider was fighting for his life on Wednesday after he was thrown into and over a barrier at 80km/h in a sickening conclusion to the opening stage of the Tour of Poland. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Forum/AFP Photo)

Jake Paul (left) lands a punch to the face of Anderson Silva during a boxing match at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona on October 29, 2022. (Photo by Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)

Participants clear the last jump at the Soap Box Derby in Bandung, Indonesia on December 15, 2024. Over 120 entries were received to compete. Entries were voted by judges for performance, overall look and time. Fans voted for their favorite soap box team. (Photo by Algi Febri Sugita/ZUMA Press Wire/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Wout van Aert of Team Visma Lease a Bike of Belgium during the UCI Worldcup Dendermonde 2025 at the Dendermonde on January 5, 2025 in Dendermonde Belgium (Photo by Pim Waslander/Soccrates/Getty Images)

British sculptor Laurence Edwards' striking bronze figures, Walking Men, at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, UK on April 9, 2024. The 8ft tall figures are seen to be anti-heroic and seem to have come from the earth itself. Branches, leaves and clods of clay are woven through them, making it unclear where human and ground begin and end. (Photo by Pete Seaward/South West News Service)