Hermit Crabs

In a secluded cove on a small island, there lived a colony of hermit crabs. Unlike other hermit crabs, these crustaceans were not content to stay in their shells, but instead, they had taken to lining up in a perfectly straight axis formation twice a day. As the sun rose and set, they would begin their synchronized march across the sand.

No one knew why the hermit crabs did this, but the locals had grown accustomed to the twice-daily stampede. Some even set their clocks to it. Tourists would flock to the island just to witness the spectacle, and many speculated that it must have been some ancient ritual passed down through generations.

One day, a marine biologist visited the island to study the phenomenon. He discovered that the hermit crabs were following a trail of pheromones laid down by the leader. Each crab would add its own scent to the trail, allowing the leader to adjust their course accordingly. The biologist was amazed by this coordinated behavior and wrote several scientific papers on the subject. Despite uncovering the truth behind the stampede, the locals still preferred to believe in the mystery of the hermit crabs' daily ritual.