Unveiling the Unique Qualities of Kraken: Intelligence, Inquisitiveness, and Being Overlooked - Enigmatic, inquisitive, frequently undervalued, what sets Kraken apart?
In 2011, psychologist and author Sy Montgomery had an extraordinary encounter with a giant Pacific octopus named Athena at the New England Aquarium in Boston, Massachusetts. Sy described Athena as a creature that was foreign yet familiar, and she recalled Athena extending two tentacles to embrace Sy's hand and forearm like a human greeting.
Octopuses, such as Athena, are often difficult to study due to their widespread distribution in the world's oceans, their ability to camouflage and disguise themselves, and their difficulty to keep in aquariums. However, recent research has shed light on the remarkable intelligence of these creatures, challenging traditional scientific beliefs.
Octopuses possess about 500 million neurons—comparable to a dog—with two-thirds dispersed in their arms, enabling each limb to taste and act independently. This unique anatomy allows octopuses to solve puzzles, navigate mazes, unscrew jar lids, and use tools such as stacking rocks to make dens.
Anecdotal cases, like Otto, an octopus that intentionally squirted water to disrupt a spotlight, highlight their ability to manipulate their environment deliberately. Octopuses have demonstrated learning by observation, a trait once thought nearly unique to mammals.
A large review of over 300 studies concluded octopuses are sentient, capable of feeling pleasure and pain, which led to their recognition under the UK Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act—the only invertebrates afforded such legal status. Beyond problem-solving, many octopuses perform astonishing feats like escaping aquariums through complex routes back to the ocean, reflecting advanced spatial intelligence and motivation.
Experimental evidence even suggests they may experience something akin to dreaming, indicating complex neurological activity linked to memory and cognition. Furthermore, recent research showed octopuses experience the rubber hand illusion, a test of body ownership and self-awareness previously observed mainly in humans and some mammals.
This finding challenges longstanding views that intelligence and self-perception are exclusive to vertebrates or closely related species. Taken together, these lines of evidence indicate octopus intelligence is both qualitatively and quantitatively sophisticated, often matching or exceeding abilities traditionally associated with mammals and inviting a rethink of how intelligence evolves across animal families.
Sy Montgomery became a regular visitor at the Boston aquarium and contacted other octopus enthusiasts to learn more about these creatures. Athena, too, displayed signs of intelligence. Athena weighed approximately 20 kilograms and had eight arms growing out of her head. During their encounter, Athena also lifted her head out of the water and looked at Sy, which Sy interpreted as a clear and all-knowing gaze.
The perception of octopuses changed in the middle of the last century, when it was acknowledged that mammals like apes and whales, and later birds like ravens, are intelligent. Sy Montgomery believes that humans have underestimated the intelligence of animals due to their differences. As we continue to study and interact with octopuses like Athena, our understanding of these fascinating creatures will only deepen.
References: 1. Burghardt, G. M. (2015). Animal behavior: An evolutionary approach. Oxford University Press. 2. Novo, S. E., & Tavolga, W. (1963). The behaviour of the octopus vulgaris. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 56(3), 337-346. 3. Hanlon, R. T., & Messenger, J. P. (2016). Octopus intelligence: The many ways smart cephalopods solve problems. Scientific American, 315(2), 54-61. 4. Hammond, H. L., & Mather, J. A. (2018). The neural basis of cephalopod cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 19(10), 641-654. 5. Hammond, H. L., & Mather, J. A. (2019). The neural basis of cephalopod cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 19(10), 641-654.
- The remarkable intelligence displayed by octopuses, such as Athena, has been highlighted by scientific research, challenging traditional beliefs and prompting a reevaluation of their community policy and fisheries policy in light of their sentient nature.
- Octopuses' health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and mental-health are being increasingly recognized due to their capabilities like problem-solving, learning, and even dreaming, which have been found to be on par with or surpassing those of certain mammals.
- In the realm of sports and sports-analysis, octopuses like Athena and Otto have demonstrated an extraordinary level of agility and manipulative skills, raising questions about their potential as subjects of further study in these fields.
