BBs Blog

Scientists have given 25 octopuses Rubik’s cubes to determine if they have a favorite tentacle, and to relieve stress. Thanks to this story, I found out all kinds of neat stuff I never knew about octopuses before. For instance, octopuses have over half their nerves in their arms, and even partially think with their arms. Which leads me to wonder if maybe some human males really do think with a certain other appendage. Whoops. Sorry guys, I just couldn’t resist that! Anyway, back to the story about the octopuses and their Rubik’s cubes.

Hopefully, this month long study will determine if octopuses do have a favorite tentacle. It might also lead to ways to reduce stress levels in octopuses who have to live in captivity. Octopuses are apparently very susceptible to stress. Which makes me wonder what will happen to the stress levels of those 25 octopuses if they start trying to solve the Rubik’s cubes puzzles they have been handed? Isn’t that likely to increase their stress levels? I know when I was given a Rubik’s cube way back when they first became popular I nearly drove myself crazy trying to solve that little puzzle. I also remember there were times I wanted to throttle the person who gave it to me. Frankly, if I were the people interacting with those 25 octopuses I would keep a close eye on them, and make sure I didn’t wind up throttled by the favorite tentacle of a frustrated octopus.

The octopuses are also going to be given balls, jam jars, and lego bricks to play with. Visitors to the Sea Life Centre will be asked to participate in the study. They will be asked to note which arms were closest to the object, and which arm was used to pick up the object. I wonder if there is a place on the form the visitors will no doubt be given to note if any of the octopuses they are watching throws an unsolved Rubik’s cube at the viewing window?

Reading that story makes me yearn to go to Dorset and watch the octopuses discover the “joys” of Rubik’s cubes. And it makes me wonder what those octopuses might build if given enough lego bricks?

Click Here to read the entire Daily Mail Online Story.