Octopus now goes to 11.

January 30, 2008 6:29 PM

Way back in 2003, I posted a link to a video that showed an octopus transforming itself to look like its surroundings. If you read the thread, there was some doubt about it and I think we all wished that web video was better at the time. Well, a friend posted a link to a TED talk recently that shows this same octopus at a much higher resolution. The relevant footage appears near the end of the talk.

And FYI: This doublepost has been MetaTalk-approved!

(so is it a triple post now?)

posted by stefnet (30 comments total)

OK, that was awesome. Especially the super shape-changing octopus at the end.
posted by thomas j wise at 6:40 PM on January 30 [1 favorite]

That site is really really cool.
posted by parallax7d at 6:41 PM on January 30

Double-favorited.

I also enjoyed the fighting squid, although... do they really have butts? I don't think those are their butts.
posted by louche mustachio at 6:41 PM on January 30

as I often find with TED stuff, this is good. thanks!
posted by Busithoth at 6:43 PM on January 30

Best planet ever.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 6:46 PM on January 30 [7 favorites]

Awesome, though the comments contain a snarl of creationist idiots.
posted by DU at 6:46 PM on January 30 [1 favorite]

Very cool with the neato keen and stuff. =) I have always generally supported double posts, but especially when they're this awesome.
posted by ZachsMind at 6:50 PM on January 30

Extraordinary.
posted by disgruntled at 6:51 PM on January 30

My god! Think of the military applications.
posted by Mr_Zero at 6:51 PM on January 30 [1 favorite]

Upon further viewing of several mediocre videos I retract my "That site is really really cool" statement.
posted by parallax7d at 6:57 PM on January 30

Think of the military applications.

Yeah, but sooner or later they'd start to smell up the tank.
posted by hal9k at 7:07 PM on January 30

not sure it beats THX loris/tarsier, but this was definitely more informative, thanks!

btw, sorta off topic but can anyone recommend any other cool TED talks? so far i've enjoyed malcolm gladwell on spaghetti sauce, hans rosling on development stat viz and zefrank :P
posted by kliuless at 7:07 PM on January 30 [1 favorite]

I love TED, and wish I could go someday.
posted by Dave Faris at 7:11 PM on January 30

Next up: octopus and squid blend into dinner plates to avoid human predators.
This blending works less well when they are breaded.
posted by bassjump at 7:17 PM on January 30

That octopus is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen! Thanks for posting this!
posted by Quietgal at 7:17 PM on January 30

kliuless : Hans Rosling's 2007 follow up. bonus sword play at the end.
posted by hortense at 7:50 PM on January 30

If you like octopus you'll love cuttlefish.
posted by unmake at 8:46 PM on January 30 [1 favorite]

Interesting. Not sure it's worth $6K/year, but very cool video.
posted by sebastienbailard at 9:38 PM on January 30

Cephalopods are awesome! When we humans have killed ourselves I have faith that cephalopods can take over and build a civilization.
posted by Kattullus at 9:46 PM on January 30

Great video--and what a great site! Now I am watching Steven Johnson talk about his book The Ghost Map.
posted by LarryC at 9:55 PM on January 30

I'm glad you posted this. We need more cool octopus videos!!!
posted by gemmy at 10:05 PM on January 30

Well, obviously cephalopods are just waiting in perfect disguise on the ocean floor, waiting to take over once we show a moment of weakness. We've known that since Lovecraft.
posted by [expletive deleted] at 10:08 PM on January 30

as amazing as that is - I think his quote about "we've explored maybe 3% of the ocean" is what amazes me. I'm still convinced there's something HUGE down there. Just waiting for me to take a swim.
posted by revmitcz at 11:18 PM on January 30

I knew they could change colour but the texture change is to me just as amazing. I wonder how it changes it's skin to that spiky appearance.
posted by Catfry at 3:29 AM on January 31

That octopus at the end was simply unbelievable! It seemed like a CGI trick!
posted by JKevinKing at 5:03 AM on January 31

I have faith that cephalopods can take over and build a civilization

I have faith that they already have.
posted by pokermonk at 6:55 AM on January 31

Let's hope the octopi never mate with the jellyfish to create a race of invisible immortal squishy things.
posted by blue_beetle at 7:27 AM on January 31

Must be one of them Romulan octopodes I've been hearing about...
posted by Atom Eyes at 8:15 AM on January 31

I forwarded this link to my wife who sent it on to our son's teacher, so now a class full of five year olds are being amazed by it, half of whom will now go on to become Marine Biologists.

Thanks for posting it!
posted by bondcliff at 8:34 AM on January 31

create a race of invisible immortal squishy things

What makes you so sure they haven't already?
posted by Dave Faris at 9:10 AM on January 31