Early morning swimmers at Cullercoats Bay on the north east coast of England on Sunday, December 29, 2024. (Photo by Owen Humphreys/PA Images via Getty Images)

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.

The Sunda lemur uses a special membrane to “fly” between trees while on the lookout for food in Java, Indonesia in the last decade of June 2024. (Photo by Dzulfikri/Solent News)

A hot air balloon rises in the sky during the International Hot-Air Balloon festival in Pokhara on December 27, 2024. With Nepal's snowy Himalayan peaks as a backdrop, the sky above Pokhara transformed into a vibrant canvas of colours for the country's first hot-air balloon festival. (Photo by Prakash Mathema/AFP Photo)

Shoes worn by cosplayer dressed as Elizabeth Goddess during the Otamatsuri Anime x Manga convention held in Nairobi, Kenya on August 24, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Waiswa/The Guardian)

Low economic conditions in China’s urban areas have sparked an increase of beggars faking disabilities in an attempt to gain more money. Cities like Shanghai and Hong Kong are littered with naive tourists who are more than willing to hand over a few yen to anyone appearing to be handicapped in anyway.

A man gestures during a demonstration over police killings of people protesting against the imposition of tax hikes by the government, in Nairobi, Kenya on July 2, 2024. (Photo by Monicah Mwangi/Reuters)

American actress Bella Thorne is seen heading to the Diesel show during Milan Fashion Week on February 21, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)