How Did This Octopus Open a Screw-Top Lid?

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Octopuses are fascinating in more ways than one. Beyond their impressive intelligence, they also have other unique features like three hearts, an amazing ability to camouflage, and a central brain plus a miniature brain in each arm. Scientists have discovered they are remarkable problem solvers and have been able to open jars, untie knots, complete puzzles, and make seemingly impossible escapes from aquariums.

In the video above, the scientists gave an octopus an intelligence test. They placed a fish inside a baby bottle with a tiny hole cut in the top. The hole was big enough that the octopus was able to fit its arm inside and taste the fish with its tentacles. But the hole was too small for the octopus to grab onto and remove the fish to eat it. The bottle could be opened with its screw top. Scientists wanted to see if the octopus could find a way to unscrew the top and get to the fish. However, the octopus surprised everyone by finding its own solution!

How the Octopus Solved the Problem in the Video

When you watch the video you can see the octopus discovers the fish inside the bottle but can’t get it out. It steps back for a few minutes, considering the problem. Then, the octopus returns to the bottle to work on getting the fish out. Although it can reach its arm inside and taste the fish using the suckers on its tentacle, it can’t get the fish to fit through the tiny opening.

What the octopus did next was truly remarkable. Scientists were expecting the octopus to work on problem-solving solutions by understanding how the screw top lid works and opening it with its arms. But the octopus bypassed the screw top completely. Instead, it applied enough pressure on the pacifier part of the bottle top, tearing it off. This made a big enough hole that it could now reach the fish and eat its prize.

Ripping the pacifier off required a lot of strength and dexterity. Scientists tried to replicate pulling off the pacifier themselves. Although they could do it out of the water, they couldn’t replicate it underwater.

Where Do Octopuses Live?

There are 300 species of octopus and they can be found in every ocean in the world, even the Arctic Ocean. Many species are found in the twilight zone, while others live closer to shore in warmer waters. However, some species, like the dumbo octopus, live in the midnight zone where sunlight never reaches. Octopuses live on the ocean floor and make their homes in dens, mainly living alone.

How Intelligent Are Octopuses?

We tend to think of mammals as the only animals on earth with the capacity for deep thought. For example, chimpanzees form long-term memories and complex social relationships. Dogs can learn as many words as a two-year-old. We’ve often overlooked invertebrates as having less complex brains, but octopuses have proven this idea wrong.

They are so smart that scientists have witnessed octopuses solving problems, using tools, taking things apart, and navigating through mazes. Not only do they form memories, but they can also make predictions about what is likely to happen based on past events. When under threat, octopuses can change their color and texture to blend into their environment or mimic other creatures to appear as a predator and not prey.

Complex brains have only evolved in vertebrates, with the exception being soft body cephalopods, for example, octopuses. Research has shown that octopuses share a common gene with humans, a gene called a “jumping gene” or transposon. These genes are short sequences of DNA and they can move around inside the genome from one spot to another. Most jumping genes in both humans and octopuses are dormant today, but scientists think some may still be active. These genes may be important for memory and learning and could be part of how the octopus developed such sophisticated reasoning.

Octopuses Have Eight Mini-Brains in Their Arms

Octopuses have 500 million neurons, which is nearly as many neurons as dogs. What’s different about the octopus is that the neurons aren’t all in a central brain, but are spread out throughout its eight arms. In fact, 60% of its neurons are in its arms.

Because their bodies don’t have bones, octopuses can move and bend their arms in any shape or way they want. And because each arm can think for itself, octopuses exhibit amazing creativity when solving problems. With both smarts and dexterity, in addition to arms that can think for themselves, octopuses can do fascinating things. Just like the octopus did in the video when it forcibly tore off the pacifier.

How Have Octopuses Inspired New Technology?

By studying this amazing cephalopod, scientists have created all kinds of new octopus-inspired technology. From underwater adhesives to camouflage to suction cups, we have learned a lot from the octopus.

Recently, researchers in Singapore built an underwater robot based on an octopus. This robot has soft arms that can move, swim, and grasp. The researchers hope this robot will inspire future applications that could aid in underwater exploration, search and rescue missions, and studying ocean habitats.