Hundreds of gannets dive for mackerel off the coast of Shetland, Northern Isles of Scotland on July 2020, where they plunge into the water from heights of up to 100ft at speeds of 60mph. (Photo by David Keep/The Times)

A woman touches a robot at the 2018 World Robot Conference in Beijing on August 15, 2018. The conference will be held from 15 to 19 August and will include a conference on robotics, an exhibition and a robot competition with the participation of robotics enterprises to showcase their robot products. (Photo by Wang Zhao/AFP Photo)

Several soldiers from the Spanish Air Force observe a Eurofighter EF-2000 fighter aircraft of the Spanish Air Force, as it flies during the Ocean Sky 2023 Military Exercise for advanced air-to-air training in the southern airspace of the Canary Islands, Spain on October 25, 2023. (Photo by Borja Suarez/Reuters)

Pilot Robert Johnson, with the Trojan Phlyers Flight Demonstration Team, flies a North American T-28 Trojan above Gary, Indiana, on Thursday, August 8, 2024 ahead of the Chicago Air and Water Show. (Photo by Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Palestinian bedouin shepherds pull their lambs into the water to wash them, in Gaza City, on April 29, 2016. Every year before the beginning of the summer, shepherds wash their herds in the sea. (Photo by Mohammed Abed/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.

Chechen Interior Minister Ruslan Alkhanov greets participants of the military parade to mark the Victory Day in Grozny, Russia, May 9, 2015. Russia marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two in Europe on Saturday with a military parade, showcasing new military hardware at a time when relations with the West have hit lows not seen since the Cold War. (Photo by Reuters/Host Photo Agency/RIA Novosti)

“The V-30 Warhawk was designed by Blackshaw Avionics as a long-range fighter and was primarily used by the Arcadian Air Force for escort duties. The plane pictured is the “Spirit of Freedom” and was one of the four planes that escorted the Arcadian Royal Airship during and after the Great War. The three other fighters were the “Spirit of Hope”, the “Spirit of Justice” and the “Spirit of Destiny”. All pilots were hand-picked by the Head of Airborne Forces and included some of the very finest pilots in the Kingdom. The crew consisted of one pilot and one gunner although both cabins were fitted so that if either crew member was killed the other could take over their duties. Each Warhawk was fitted with four Haverlock “Banshee” engines and four 24mm machine guns”. (Photo and comment by Jon Hall)