A new discovery from researchers at Tel Aviv University has identified a surprising champion of alcohol tolerance – the Oriental hornet.

In their recently-published study, the researchers put the Oriental hornet in the spotlight, where it stands alone — and completely sober — as the only known animal capable of consuming high concentrations of alcohol continuously without experiencing any adverse effects.

This finding could revolutionize scientists’ approach to alcohol-related research.

“This is a remarkable animal that shows no signs of intoxication or illness even after ingesting huge amounts of alcohol,” notes the research team, spearheaded by Sofia Bouchebti and Prof. Eran Levin at TAU’s School of Zoology and Steinhardt Museum of Natural History.

Oriental hornets could potentially be used to develop new models for studying alcoholism and the metabolism of alcohol.

What makes this discovery particularly striking is how it contrasts with other species’ reactions to alcohol.

While alcohol naturally occurs in nature through the fermentation of sugars by yeasts and bacteria in ripe fruits and nectar, most animals — including humans — can’t handle significant amounts without serious consequences, such as impeded balance and embarrassing phone calls.

Even fruit flies, which commonly dine upon fermenting fruits, show signs of intoxication after a nibble too many (proving that nature has a particularly cruel sense of humor and that the best things in life are out to kill us).

Incredible ability to handle alcohol

So what makes the hornets able to drink the rest of the animal kingdom under the table?

To find this out, the research team conducted a series of increasingly ambitious experiments to test the hornets’ extraordinary capabilities.

In perhaps the most striking demonstration, hornets were given a diet consisting of 80 percent alcohol — a concentration that would be lethal to most organisms (though this is still being rigorously tested by college students).

Remarkably, these insects not only survived but showed no behavioral changes or health impacts throughout their normal three-month lifespan.

Levin explains the key to the puzzle, discovered via analysis of the hornet’s genome: “The hornet possesses several copies of the gene responsible for producing the enzyme that breaks down alcohol; this genetic adaptation may be related to their incredible ability to handle alcohol.”

The evolution of this unique ability might be rooted in the hornets’ longstanding relationship with yeasts. The insects naturally harbor yeasts in their digestive systems, creating a symbiotic relationship that may have driven their adaptation to alcohol tolerance.

With alcohol-related deaths accounting for 5.3% of global mortality, the implications of this research could make for more than an interesting “did you know” at the next social function you attend.

“We believe that, following our research, Oriental hornets could potentially be used to develop new models for studying alcoholism and the metabolism of alcohol,” Levin concludes.