A visitors to the National Galleries of Scotland view the work “A girl” of sculptor Ron Mueck on August 4, 2006 Edinburgh in Scotland. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

“Himalayan Dog”. This dog just appeared out of nowhere and followed us for an entire week during our trekking trip in the Himalayan outback. He always used to sleep in front of our tent and guarded us in the nights. When I decided to get up at 4 a.m. to climb the next 5000 m peak for sunrise he accompanied me as well. On the top he was sitting for the entire 30 minutes on this place looking straight into the countryside. Photo location: Ladakh, India. (Photo and caption by Sebastian Wahlhuetter/National Geographic Photo Contest)

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.

A demonstrator is carried during a rally in support of a identity check draft law and against delinquency, in Santiago, Chile April 30, 2016. (Photo by Carlos Vera/Reuters)

A man walks at the empty Karon beach on Phuket Island, Thailand on April 1, 2021. Picture taken with a drone. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)

A man celebrates the start of the New Year, backdropped by fireworks exploding in the background over Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, January 1, 2022. (Photo by Bruna Prado/AP Photo)

Family members collect clean water from supply pipes in Machimpur, Bangladesh on June 2, 2024, where people have been stranded after heavy flooding. Although the water has receded slowly in the last three days, there is still flood water in the low-lying areas of the city.(Photo by Md Rafayat Haque Khan/ZUMA Press Wir/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

A tiger plays in water at a tiger zoo in Chaing Mai, Thailand on March 31, 2021. (Photo by Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters)