Octopuses Gain Consciousness

[ButterflyWoman]

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/octopus-chronicles/2012/08/21/octopuses-gain-consciousness-according-to-scientists-declaration/

Naturally, they're only looking at brain structure, but still, it's really interesting. I've always known that animals have some degree of consciousness (some have little to no self-awareness, but the same can be said of most humans, so...). Even little mice, with a brain the size of a pea, have distinct personalities and likes and dislikes and preferences. How much more so an elephant or a dolphin or a horse or, yes, an octopus...

[CFTraveler]

I remember years ago an article about an octopus that would climb out of his tank to go eat (fish or starfish, I can't remember) out of another tank. The people in the aquarium couldn't figure out why they were disappearing so they decided to leave a camera one night, and found out the octopus knew how to open the lid of his enclosure, went over to the other side of the room, would get inside the other tank, have a snack, and later would go back to his own tank, closing the lid and everything. It was very cool.

[Sinera]

Octupuses are not only conscious. They are also highly psychic:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_the_Octopus

http://taciej.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/octopus_1_custom.jpg

[ButterflyWoman]

I remember Paul the octopus. :) We had a similar thing in Australia, with an octopus who "predicted" the results of an election (it was right, too).

[Beekeeper]

It happened at Sydney Aquarium, CF. They give them toys to play with now because apparently they get bored and despondent otherwise. They have to change the toys quite regularly. They also give them challenges in obtaining their food for the same reason.

I saw a documentary on how octopi are a real problem in lobster traps. They love them because, unlike the poor lobsters, they can get out after they get in and have a good feed.:twisted:

[LPCF]

I've always known that animals have some degree of consciousness (some have little to no self-awareness, but the same can be said of most humans, so...).
Ah, now there's a good sentence to quote! Some humans are so preoccupied with work, money, and so forth that they never stop to think who they are or why they're here. Some never look at a sunset with a sense of awe. Brute intelligence is not the same as spirituality. Men could build the most scientifically developed weapons ever, to blow up this world (or others), but that doesn't mean that they are truly aware. On the other hand, we are only beginning to understand the awareness of animals. Octopuses are not the only ones, by a long way...