This year BMC Ecology and Evolution followed the INTECOL 2022 congress online. INTECOL aims to act as an international advocate for the science of ecology. The association has held a congress once every four years for the past 13 years, attracting ecologists from around the world. With over 670 talks and 120 poster presentations, the 2022 congress provided a valuable opportunity to hear about the latest research, gain new perspectives and build relationships.