Octopuses

Nature: Octopuses may have short dreams ‘like small videoclips, or even gifs’ 

by

Octopuses have two sleep states just like humans — a ‘quiet’ one where their skin stays pale and short periods of ‘active’ sleep in which they twitch and change colour. Experts from Brazil who recorded video clips of the eight-legging animals dozing said that octopuses may have short dreams ‘like small videoclips, or even gifs.’ … Read more

Octopuses ‘taste’ things just by touching them, study says

by

Scientists have revealed how octopuses can ‘taste’ things by simply touching them with the suction cups on their tentacles.  Sensors in the first layer of cells inside the suction cups have adapted to react and detect molecules that don’t dissolve well in water, US researchers claim.  These sensors, called ‘chemotactile receptors’, use these molecules to … Read more