Researchers have discovered a link between the number of chromosome sets in insect cells and the rate of mitochondrial genome evolution. This finding is unexpected, as mitochondrial DNA evolution is typically associated with factors like mutation rate and population size, not nuclear chromosomes. The study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, suggests that insects with haplo-diploid sex determination (where females are diploid and males are haploid) may evolve mitochondrial DNA faster. This could impact our understanding of insect DNA changes and biodiversity tracking.