octopus

And how do scientists go about answering that question?

Two glands increase steroid production after female California two-spot octopuses mate, a study finds. Those hormones may be responsible for the animals’ self-destructive behavior.

In two related studies, researchers describe huge chromosomal rearrangements and about 500 novel gene clusters in the octopus, squid, and cuttlefish genomes, which they say could help explain how they evolved their extraordinary brains.

Octopuses were around 82 million years earlier than scientists previously thought—and had two extra limbs at the time.

The size and complexity of cephalopod brain structures differ depending on the habitats the creatures occupy, a study finds.

The cephalopods resisted temptation for up to 130 seconds to earn their favorite food, hinting at sophisticated cognitive abilities such as planning for the future.

Lore has always surrounded argonauts, pelagic octopuses that build shells and travel the seas.

See a world of undersea splendor through the lens of Richard Smith.

Just as in people, the drug stimulates the animals to behave more socially.

The baby cephalopod looks and behaves like an adult from the moment it emerges from the egg.

A round-up of recent discoveries in behavior research

What researchers are learning as they sequence, map, and decode species’ genomes

Squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses possess vision machinery in their skin.

A round-up of recent discoveries in behavior research

Cephalopod skin inspires engineers to design sheets of adaptive camouflage sensors. 

Deep-sea octopus has the longest-known brooding period known for any animal species.

Antidepressant could prevent Alzheimer’s plaques; 12,000-year-old human skeleton sequenced; disentangling the mystery of octopus arms; taking a look at the ocular microbiome

Researchers uncover a self-recognition mechanism that prevents octopus limbs from becoming entangled, despite their powerful suction.