Previous “Cephalopods” posts

The Time Has Come for Octopus Ultimate Frisbee ∞

I would like to visit this “Octopolis”. Do they have reasonably priced hotels?

Thursday, August 26th, 2021

Recently, scientists have observed octopuses propelling objects at other octopuses. In particular, female octopi seem prone to fending off unwanted attention from males by throwing at them. Between this and the spite punching, I’m not sure I could like octopodes more.1

As for the title of this post, it comes from this bit of the article:

On one occasion, the researchers did see an octopus throw a shell at – and hit – another octopus by flinging it with a tentacle like a frisbee, rather than by propelling material with its siphon.

I’m waiting, science.

Footnotes:

  1. They’re all valid plurals, and I refuse to pick a side. ↩︎

Android’s Cursed Emoji Mergers ∞

This shouldn't be.

Friday, August 6th, 2021

Today, I learned that Android makes it possible to send merged “emoji”, which combine distinct emoji artwork into something new.1 It’s awful! For instance, here’s 🐙 Octopus and 🌭 Hot Dog:

Thanks, I hate it! Apparently, these have been “artisanally crafted”, which means some monster or monsters brought these creations to life by drawing them each individually. For shame.

If you visit emoji.kitchen, you can create some of your own grotesqueries.2 The site doesn’t seem to have all the options offered by Android itself, but it’s got plenty of awful on offer:

A pile of poo emoji merged with a monocle face emoji

Things like this fancy poop shouldn’t be, but that’s the world we live in. I’m sorry.

Footnotes:

  1. I put emoji in quotes because the resulting art is simply a bitmapped image, rather than an inline combination of two real emoji. Nowadays, many emoji are actually made by combining multiple emoji using a “zero width joiner”. For example, the Rainbow Flag emoji 🏳️‍🌈 is a combination of 🏳️ White Flag and 🌈 Rainbow. ↩︎

  2. Speaking of grotesqueries, sure, .kitchen is a top-level domain that should exist why not? ↩︎

No Ink Is Used ∞

“Banana Bruiser” is a solid nickname, too.

Wednesday, April 21st, 2021

Since early on in our global pandemic, Anna Chojnicka has been creating art. Her medium of choice? Bananas. Through the simple act of bruising banana peels, Chojnicka has created some impressive works of (temporary) art, and raised money for good causes as well. The Washington Post has more.

[S]he inspects her daily sketch, takes a photo and then eats the banana — she doesn’t like waste.

You can view hundreds of Chojnicka’s creations over on her dedicated Instagram account, @banana_bruiser.

A banana modified into a octopus

If Marizio Cattelan’s “Comedian” is worth $120,000, these ought to sell for millions.

Delayed Gratification for Cephalopods ∞

Cuttlefish have self-control.

Thursday, March 4th, 2021

Cuttlefish have recently passed a modified version of the famous Stanford marshmallow experiment.

We’ve All Had Days Like That ∞

Spite-punching fish!

Wednesday, December 30th, 2020

As has been well established, I really like octopuses. Now, there’s yet another reason to appreciate them.

Scientists have discovered that, on occasions, an octopus will “punch” a fish for no reason other than “spite”.

I feel you, octopuses. I feel you.

If You Give an Octopus Some Molly ∞

Science is doing great work with octopuses.

Tuesday, September 25th, 2018

It seems that Methyl​enedioxy​methamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy, makes affects octopuses in similar ways to humans. Thanks, science!

I Really Like Octopuses

Octopuses are incredibly cool.

Tuesday, August 14th, 2018

Actress Kerry Washington visited Boston on Sunday, and this overview of her day caught my eye. Emphasis has been added.

Kerry Washington had a busy Sunday in Boston…[she] and her family spent the morning on a VIP tour at the aquarium, where they got up close and personal with various marine life, including…Frea, a giant Pacific octopus.

Then it was off to the North End [where] the group feasted on eggplant parmesan, penne arrabiata, and octopus salad for lunch at Trattoria Il Panino.

Come on, Kerry! Octopuses (or if you prefer, octopodes, or even octopi) are bizarre creatures that possess incredible intelligence. Sy Montgomery has written about this in both her article “Deep Intellect” and the longer book “The Soul of an Octopus”. Even better, videos like this features some amazing shots of octopus intelligence (and camouflage1) in action.

Previously in octopus intelligence: Inky’s Done a Runner

Footnotes:

  1. For still more on octopus camouflage, see the mimic octopus. ↩︎

Inky’s Done a Runner ∞

Thursday, April 14th, 2016

Octopuses are incredibly cool, and hey, who doesn’t love a good caper?