Word of a curious worm phenomenon has spread among scientists over the years. Words like, “they’re living in giant towers, Jim.” An understandably perplexing concept, but one that we can now confirm thanks to the first-ever recordings of the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans forming towers in nature.

Scientists captured nematodes that stack themselves into a wriggling, vertical tower for the first time. Watch the tiny architects in action.

One bizarre activity glimpsed in past lab experiments has now been recorded under natural conditions, proving once and for all that some worm species will construct towers from their own squirming bodies to catch a ride out of town when the going gets tough.