The beetle that steers by the Milky Way

Dung beetles shape a ball out of droppings and race away with it so that no one steals it. Their priority is to get away from the pile in a straight line, without going in circles, and for that they need a compass.

By day, the sun is enough. But one African species also works at night, when there's no sun to rely on. A 2013 study put these beetles in a planetarium and found something astonishing: they were steering by the luminous band of the Milky Way. When their view of the sky was blocked with a tiny visor, they got lost and wandered in circles.

It's the first animal shown to use our galaxy to keep its bearings. A creature pushing dung while gazing at the stars: few images capture nature better.