Researchers have identified the "single most important creatures on the planet" -- and they aren't human beings.
The Earthwatch Institute has declared bees to be the most vital beings in keeping Earth's ecosystem up and running. In a report published Wednesday, the Institute notes that 60 to 90 percent of the food eaten by humans requires help from bees to reproduce. While it's commonly known that plants that bear fruits and vegetables rely on bees to pollinate them, bees are also important to the survival of humankind in ways some people might not realize.
As an example, the Earthwatch report cites an ASAP Science rundown of almond plants, which need bees to produce almonds. The hulls of those almonds are used to feed cattle and chickens. So without bees, we wouldn't only be without beef and chicken, but also milk, eggs and countless other foods that use those items as ingredients.