New research reveals why some octopuses punch fish

"Don't tread on me" is a slogan of the deep sea, too.

Credit: pr2is / Adobe Stock
  • Octopuses are part of multispecific collaborative hunting groups with bottom-feeding fish.
  • New research shows octopuses defending their territory by punching fish.
  • The team believes this research helps reveal underlying game structures in the deep sea.
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Scientists discover slug that can decapitate itself, grow new body

The bizarre discovery could pave the way for advances in regenerative medicine for humans.

Credit: S. MITOH AND Y. YUSA/CURRENT BIOLOGY 2021
  • In a recent study, scientists observed two species of sea slug that were able to self-decapitate, survive for weeks without organs, and regenerate entirely new bodies.
  • The study authors proposed that the slugs are able to survive as severed heads because of the unique way they obtain energy from algae.
  • While other animals engage in self-amputation (known as autotomy) to avoid predators, the study authors suggested that sea slugs might shed their bodies to avoid dying from parasites.
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Cephalopod aces 'marshmallow test' designed for eager children

The famous cognition test was reworked for cuttlefish. They did better than expected.

Credit: Hans Hillewaert via Wikicommons
  • Scientists recently ran the Stanford marshmallow experiment on cuttlefish and found they were pretty good at it.
  • The test subjects could wait up to two minutes for a better tasting treat.
  • The study suggests cuttlefish are smarter than you think but isn't the final word on how bright they are.
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Unusual creatures uncovered beneath an Antarctic ice shelf

The organisms were anchored to a boulder 900 meters beneath the ice, living a cold, dark existence miles away from the open ocean.

Credit: Huw Griffiths/British Antarctic Survey
  • A new study details the discovery of sessile organisms living under the Antarctic's Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf.
  • In recent years, scientists have discovered more creatures living in environments once thought inhospitable to life.
  • It's currently unknown how these new organisms find food in such an environment, nor how plentiful they are beneath the continent's ice-blanketed coastlines.
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    Noise pollution is threatening life in the 'Anthropocene ocean'

    A new paper explores how noise from human activities pollutes the oceans, and what we can do to fix it.

    Credit: GreenOak via Adobe Stock
    • The new paper notes three major factors that have changed the ocean soundscape: human activity, climate change, and "massive declines in the abundance of sound-producing animals."
    • Noise pollution threatens marine animals because many rely on sound to communicate with each other and sense predators and prey.
    • The paper noted several solutions for decreasing human-caused noise pollution, including floating wind turbines and quieter boat propellers.
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