American singer Tinashe arrives at the 2022 American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., November 20, 2022. (Photo by Aude Guerrucci/Reuters)

A fuzzy caterpillar on a basil plant in west Bengal, India on December 25, 2023. The caterpillar’s defence system is its hair, which has microscopic barbs that break off easily in the skin of would-be predators. (Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Tibetan monks dressed as demons attend the Beating Ghost festival at the Yonghe Temple, also known as the Lama Temple, in Beijing on March 19, 2015. The Beating Ghost festival, or Da Gui festival in Chinese, is an important ritual of Tibetan Buddhism and is believed to expel evil spirits and shake off troubles. (Photo by Wang Zhao/AFP Photo)

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 Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) veterinarian and security personnel back away from a tranquilised black-Rhino calf August 30, 2017 after she appeared to prematurely overcome the sedative at the Nairobi National Park, during an identification-tagging excercise to ease quick identification of resident rhino during anti-poaching patrols. (Photo by Tony Karumba/AFP Photo)

A man hugs his monitor lizard who is wearing a Christmas hat on December 25, 2021 in Bangkok, Thailand. Monitor lizard enthusiasts gather on Christmas Day for a garden party at the Somtum Khun Daeng restaurant and cafe to share their appreciation for their monitor lizards. The event for owners of this controversial Thai pet included important facts and information about monitor lizard care as well as prizes for those who brought their lizard with them. (Photo by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)

A cycle-rickshaw puller takes a nap during a hot afternoon along a street in Amritsar on April 19, 2022. (Photo by Narinder Nanu/AFP Photo)

Dancers disguised as forest spirits pose before performing during the Kendalisada Art Festival 2023 in Kaliori, Banyumas, Central Java, on September 9, 2023. (Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP Photo)