The majority of deceptiveness in nature occurs without much awareness from the animal included. From a moth that has actually progressed to appear like a hornet to orchid mantises that simulate flowers to tempt in pollinators, deceptiveness belongs to these animals’ nature. In his book “Liars, Cheats and Copycats: Trickery and Deception in Nature” (Columbia University Press, 2026), biologist James O’Hanlon turns to tactical deceptiveness targeted at controling what another animal thinks– and whether we can consider this as lying.

Live Science talked to O’Hanlon about his book, and why numerous researchers hesitate to state “yes, animals can lie.”

Olivia Maule is a previous Live Science intern and science reporter whose beats consist of area, biotechnology and the environment. She holds a B.A. in biology and a B.S. in sociology from the University of Florida and finished a master’s degree in science interaction at U.C. Santa Cruz. A 2025 AAAS Mass Media Fellow, she composed stories and produced videos throughout a summer season at El Nuevo Día, Puerto Rico’s biggest paper, and has actually composed for Eos, Mongabay, Science publication and Stanford Report. Olivia is a native Spanish and English speaker.