Eight-legged Freaks
December 6th, 2006
How awesome are octopi? Ha, it’s a rhetorical question! I already know that octopi are totally freakin’ awesome, because I have not one, not two, but three Awesome Science Videos of octopi for you.
First up is an octopus demonstrating why they are known as incredible escape artists, squeezing its entire body through a tiny 1-inch hole. The speed at which it both finds and exits through the gap, and how it contorts itself to do it, are impressive in equal measure.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4007016107763801953
Secondly, we all know that octopi have eight legs, but did you know that some like to run around on just two of them? Researcher Christine Huffard and her team observed two different species of octopi running along the seabed on their arms, and published a paper on the phenomenon (online pdf here). Can you imagine a bipedal octopus? You don’t have to, I have the video proof right here.
Thanks to rayatseagal at the Bad Science Forum!
Finally, and in my opinion, the most incredible of all, is a video demonstrating the jaw-dropping ability of an octopus to camouflage itself against its background. How the film maker ever spotted it in the first place is beyond me, but I’m glad they did.
If you liked this, check out this octopus, which can mimic a flatfish, a sea snake or a poisonous lion fish! Wow!
Entry Filed under: Awesome Science Videos
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18 Comments
1. coracle | December 6th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
Sadly they freak me right out. I have a severe aversion to cephalopods in general: squid, octopi and cuttlefish are all scary f’ers.
Which is sad because I like reading the pharyngula blog which regularly features them.
2. Marty | December 6th, 2006 at 3:13 pm
Great stuff! But “octopi”? I think not. I’m an “Octopodes” man myself…
3. Frank the SciencePunk | December 6th, 2006 at 3:47 pm
Interesting! Though it depends who you ask – the Huffard paper favours octopuses.
4. C3P0 | December 7th, 2006 at 10:58 am
That’s not all Octopi/podes can do, check this video… Octopus vs Shark!
5. PZ Myers | December 8th, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Go with Huffard. She’s the expert — it’s octopuses.
6. Frank the SciencePunk | December 8th, 2006 at 4:27 pm
PZ Meyers! What esteemed readership I have. I invite you all to check out his excellent Pharyngula over at ScienceBlogs.
7. emily | May 10th, 2007 at 12:09 am
this was the greatest thing ever
8. Val | May 15th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
I am at present studying at Uni, your video clips are great, what a fantastic way share information with others, Thank you
9. Gia from Macomb, MI | May 28th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Wow! I’m going to the Caribbean on Tuesday and I’m going swimming in the Caribbean Sea. Will Octopus come and get me? Will they crawl on the ocean floor and forget about me? What about sharks, eels, moray, sting rays, jellyfish, and other creatures? I’m scared!
Also, nice videos, they are cool. Thank you for your time!
10. Amy | July 9th, 2007 at 3:38 am
The plural of octopus is octopuses. The word is Greek, not Latin, so there’s no need to use the latin plural.
11. Dan | September 30th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
FYI, octopi is NOT a word. The plural is octopuses.
12. Shamus | November 13th, 2007 at 1:33 am
the plural is octopodes if one follows the Greek pluralization.
13. Shamus | November 13th, 2007 at 1:34 am
that last video looks fake.
14. Frank the SciencePunk | November 13th, 2007 at 10:15 am
You’re all forgetting that octopi is far more aesthetically pleasing than any of the alternatives. So there.
15. Melissa | November 30th, 2007 at 2:47 am
I think you should all be commenting on how freaking awesome octopi/octopuses …etc, are instead of commenting on how to spell it.
That last video was amazing.
16. Jess | January 11th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
There are many different plurals for octopus. Such as Octopus, Octopi, Octopuses and Octopodes. Any one is correct.
17. Bonzodog | March 15th, 2008 at 8:09 am
Fungus: Fungi
Nucleus: Nuclei
See the pattern here?
It’s octopi. Definately.
18. Dan | January 13th, 2009 at 10:45 am
@Bonzodog
Oh well, we can *definitely* trust your judgement…
Anyway, language converges to its simplest form. I’m afraid Octopodes, although correct, ain’t simple and will become obsolete. It’s octopi for me.
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