"Survival of the fittest" is often misunderstood. It was originally meant to imply that the most well-adapted species prevail, not necessarily the "fittest" species. This means that the success of certain traits is not solely dependent on the efficiency of those traits. Rather, it is a complex interplay of environmental conditions, competition, pests, and much more. The success of a trait can largely depend on luck, such as favorable conditions for its spread within a stable population or its extinction due to an event. The fragility of populations is evident in the many species currently facing extinction—evolutionary marvels that suddenly disappear. Traits may take millions of years to develop or may never emerge again. When applied to humans, this is an important realization as it undermines race theories and eugenicist ideologies. The sole basis of these dehumanizing ideologies is a perceived superiority easily refuted by evolutionary insights. There is no basis for considering any physical traits as inferior. However, there is a good reason why this argument is rarely heard: a discussion about the value of human life is incompatible with insights from ethical philosophy. Human dignity is inviolable, and every individual determines their own worth. A discussion about the value of human traits or peculiarities should not even be entertained, as such a discussion is inherently undignified. Unfortunately, there are increasingly societal concepts that garner support with antiquated and dehumanizing views. It is important to employ reason and humanity to oppose such developments.

Ichneumon wasp,
Ophion obscuratus

I found this male in the house last night and brought him back outside. It's a nocturnal parasitic wasp species. Females look for caterpillars and inject one egg per host. The caterpillars remain alive until the wasp larva reaches its final instar. The adults feed mainly on plant sap and nectar and continue enjoying their lives. This species is one of the few that fly around even in winter. It's distribution area includes the entire Palearctic and Indomalaya.

Some representatives of the ichneumon wasps (not this one) carry a special virus in their genome and use it to produce virions, which after injection influence the host's behavior, metabolism and immune system.