How Octopuses Solve Problems

Octopuses are among the cleverest animals in the sea, even though they have no bones and live alone. Scientists who study them have been amazed by what they can do. In laboratories, octopuses have learned to open jars to reach food inside. Some have even worked out how to unscrew the lid from the inside. In an aquarium, one octopus found a way out of its tank at night, crept across the floor and ate fish from a neighbouring tank. The next morning, the staff were puzzled until they installed a camera. Octopuses also use tools. In the wild, some have been seen carrying half coconut shells and hiding under them, like a portable shelter. Others block the entrance to their home with stones. Part of their intelligence is due to their bodies. An octopus has about two thirds of its neurons in its arms, so each arm can partly decide what to do on its own. This means that an octopus can taste and touch with its arms while its brain is thinking about something else. Unlike many animals, octopuses don't live long. Most species live only one to three years, so they cannot learn from their parents. Everything they know, they have to find out for themselves.