Advertisements
Insects & Small Life
The Remarkable Intelligence of Insects That Operate Without a Brain
Fact 1 of 254%
Headless cockroaches can survive and learn for several weeks.
A resilient American cockroach in its natural habitat.
Advertisements
Decapitated cockroaches continue to function because they possess decentralized nerve centers. Their body can still perform complex grooming and walking tasks without input from the head.
"They can live for weeks until they eventually die of dehydration."
This suggests that locomotion and reflexes are hardwired into the thoracic ganglia rather than the brain.
Did you already know this?