I was never very interested in the Octopus...but working on this weeks Book of the Week (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000vxy7 ) Other Minds: The Octopus And The Evolution Of Intelligent Life by Peter Godfrey-Smith. Do you know they recognise people? Take a dislike to an individual (and squirt water at them)..sabotage the lab (by squirting water at the light fittings!) and communicate ideas....Lab octopus are fed frozen prawns...not very appetising apparently. So one octopus waited for the lab assistant to walk by......and engaged eyes...it then walked over the tank, all the time maintaining eye contact....and blocked the outlet valve with the offending prawn! The are fascinating animals...sentient and intelligent. There is a great write up in this weeks Radio Times. This is beautiful narrated by the amazing Tim Mcinnerny and I urge you to give it a listen.
And by he way...apparently Octopi is wrong!
Other Minds: The Octopus And The Evolution Of Intelligent Life Is a Loftus Media Production for BBC Radio 4
Comments