José María Larocca of Argentina riding Finn Lente soars over a water jump in the Rolex Grand Prix in Falsterbo, Sweden on July 13, 2025. (Photo by Petter Arvidson/Bildbyran/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Kamila Valieva, of the Russian Olympic Committee, reacts after competing in the women's free skate program during the figure skating competition at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, February 17, 2022, in Beijing. (Photo by David J. Phillip/AP Photo)

Colombia's Mercedes Isabel Perez Tigrero competes in the women's 64kg weightlifting competition during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo on July 27, 2021. (Photo by Edgard Garrido/Reuters)

Colombian fans during the International Friendly match between Canada and Colombia at Sports Illustrated Stadium on October 14, 2025 in Harrison, Nueva Jersey. (Photo by Leonardo Ramirez/eyepix via ZUMA Press Wire/Alamy Live News)

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.

Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Hezly Rivera does a flip before throwing out a ceremonial first pitch before a baseball game between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees, Wednesday, September 4, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Jeffrey McWhorter/AP Photo)

In this handout image provided by Red Bull, Maria Paula Quintero of Colombia dives from the 21.5 metre platform during the second competition day of the third stop of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series on June 29, 2024 at Polignano a Mare, Italy. (Photo by Dean Treml/Red Bull via Getty Images)

Britain's Alice Kinsella competes in the balance beam event of the artistic gymnastics women's qualification during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on July 28, 2024. (Photo by Gabriel Bouys/AFP Photo)