Wild Things: Life as We Know It
Flight of the hummingbird, termite cloning and the rise of the octopus
![Termite queens](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/Ygb3rc3HFcSD-IHAVFEbsBfPszI=/1000x750/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/termite-queens-631.jpg)
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![Hummingbird in flight](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/viwMdu2z51tRvfIffD7Ve0FEl44=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/hummingbird-520.jpg)
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![Termite queens](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/YSBxFIzw4Y8RS9nqcarnz1aztgI=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/termite-queens-520.jpg)
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![Lizards on Greek islands](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/5NB3nKi7Jp45GZ9ZrE8wNW7TJ2Y=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/lizards-on-Greek-islands-520.jpg)
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![Octopus fossil](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/XaSDqGAchuXdB3Js9wl4-6r5AVo=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/octopus-fossil-520.jpg)
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![Largemouth bass caught on a lure](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/iBpNXe0kCAYABDtkweOso_vbQV4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/largemouth-bass-caught-on-lure-520.jpg)
Hook Me Once: It strikes hard and fights long, and so is prized by anglers.
Hook Me Twice: An individual bass' likelihood of being caught depends in part on its parentage, say researchers led by the University of Illinois. In their 20-year study, fish prone to take the bait produced highly susceptible offspring; fish prone to forgo it produced less-hookable offspring.
Hook Me Three Times: Unlucky anglers have a new, genetic excuse: the gullible wild bass have been caught, leaving only the wily ones.