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Octopus! : the most mysterious creature in the sea / Katherine Harmon Courage
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No one understands the octopus. With eight arms, three hearts, camouflaging skin, and a disarmingly sentient look behind its highly evolved eyes, how could it appear anything but utterly alien? Octopuses have been captivating humans for as long as we have been catching them. Many cultures have octopus-centric creation myths, art, and, of course, cuisine. For all of our ancient fascination and millions of dollars' worth of modern research, however, we still have not been able to get a firm grasp on these enigmatic creatures. Now, Katherine Harmon Courage, a veteran journalist and contributing editor for Scientific American , dives into the mystifying underwater world of the octopus. She reports from around the globe of her adventures in Spain, Greece, and even Brooklyn, inviting us to experience the scientific discoveries and deep cultural ties that connect us to the octopus. You'll discover: The oldest known fossilized octopus is estimated to have lived 296 million years ago?even before the first dinosaurs emerged. Government agencies are funding research labs around the world to re-create the octopus's naturally occurring camouflage techniques. About two thirds of an octopus's brain capacity is spread throughout its eight arms, meaning each one literally has a mind of its own. Octopuses have aced numerous intelligence tests, including opening childproof bottles, solving mazes, and even recognizing individual people. The octopus can change colors and textures within milliseconds to vanish against its background?yet we have no evidence that it can see in color. Courage deftly interweaves personal narrative with interviews with leading octopus experts. The result is an entertaining yet scientifically grounded exploration of the octopus and its infinitely complex world. Veteran journalist and contributing editor for 'Scientific American,' Katherine Harmon Courage dives into the mystifying underwater world of the octopus, sharing new scientific discoveries and demonstrating deep cultural ties that connect us all to this alien-like creature.
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user comments or reviews for this workA photo of an octopus splayed out in a Miami Beach parking garage after the latest King Tide captivated the internet, but a University of Miami associate biology professor said residents should get used to seeing sea creatures in traditionally dry spaces.
Richard Conlin / Facebook
A photo of an octopus splayed out in a Miami Beach parking garage after the latest King Tide captivated the internet, but a University of Miami associate biology professor said residents should get used to seeing sea creatures in traditionally dry spaces.
Richard Conlin / Facebook
By Alex Harris
Richard Conlin, who lives at Mirador 1000 West, posted video of water spurting through his parking garage drains and photos of the octopus on Monday morning, during the latest king tide — a seasonal phenomenon exacerbated this month by a super moon. He did not respond to requests for comment, but he wrote on the Facebook post that he saw schools of fish alongside the slimy creature.
Sealey believes the fish explain why the native octopus, which she thinks is
a small Caribbean reef octopus or a large Atlantic pygmy octopus, ended up in someone’s parking space.
When the drainage pipes in these buildings were designed, they were safely above the high-water marks, she said, but rising seas mean the pipes are now partially submerged during extreme high tides. And with water comes sea life, starting with fish. A drainage pipe combines two of an octopus’ favorite things, Sealey said — a meal and a cramped, dark space to crawl into. The ocean dweller was likely curled up inside the drain when the king tide forced it out and onto the garage floor, she said.
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How the octopus moves
How does an octopus control eight highly flexible and independent arms so well?
How does an octopus control eight highly flexible and independent arms so well?
New York Times
“When that much sea water comes in the octopus is like ‘what’s this?’ and goes to explore and ends up in a bad place,” she said.
The sea creature, Conlin said, did make it back home when building security put the octopus in a bucket of saltwater and dropped it in the ocean.
On his post, Conlin
noted the flooding in his building has worsened since the city raised a nearby road.
“This flooding to this extreme is new and gets worse each moon,” he wrote. “In the past the floor of the garage would be ‘damp’ but this extreme flooding is new.... in the past 6 months there has not been a single day without some type of water seepage in the garage.”
And it’s not just in Conlin’s building. Last year, a UM study found that tidal .
City officials have
said that as roads are raised, private properties that drain into the street might no longer be able to do so. Regulations prohibit such drainage anyway, but the city is working on a program that would allow private properties to pay a fee and connect into the street’s drainage system.
Still, with even conservative estimates showing sea level will rise , low-lying communities will likely have to learn how to take on some water.
“The sea is moving in, so we have to share the space,” Sealey said.
Miami Herald staff writer Joey Flechas contributed to this report.
Alex Harris: ,
A photo of an octopus splayed out in a Miami Beach parking garage after the latest King Tide captivated the internet, but a University of Miami associate biology professor said residents should get used to seeing sea creatures in traditionally dry spaces.
Richard Conlin / Facebook
Never miss a local story.
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City of Miami Beach employees help clean up the parks
About 150 city employees reported to work after a harrowing hurricane weekend, some equipped with their own yard tools, to help clean up the Beach’s public spaces after Irma flooded streets and knocked power lines from poles across the island.
City of Miami Beach employees help clean up the parks}