https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Today's octopuses are intelligent, remarkably flexible animals that lurk in reefs, hide in crevices, or drift through the deep sea. But new research suggests that their earliest relatives may have played a far more predatory role in ocean ecosystems. A study led by researchers at Hokkaido University has found that the earliest known octopuses were giant predators that hunted at the very top of the food web, alongside large marine vertebrates. The study is published in Science. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-giant-octopuses-oceans-million-years.html Evolution Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:30:02 EDT news696182161 "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," said Juliet Capulet in William Shakespeare's famous play. And the same is presumably true for mollusks, albeit with different odors. When you think about the scientific names of animals, including our own species, Homo sapiens, it's tempting to see these as neutral, objective labels. But Taro Yoshimura, a researcher in evolutionary paleontology at the University Museum, the University of Tokyo, sees scientific names as time capsules that reflect the culture and education of the people who coined them. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-mollusks-greek-evolves-snail-pace.html Plants & Animals Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:00:03 EDT news695634182 Happy Saturday! This week, researchers reported on the familiar phenomenon of speeding away from a slower-driving car only to have it catch up at the next traffic light—they've named it Voorhees law, after the well-known movie slasher who always catches up to his victims. A study finds that nonpsychotropic cannabinoid CBD reverses brain damage in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. And scientists are testing methods to regrow joints damaged by arthritis. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-saturday-citations-octopus-behavior-children.html Other Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:00:02 EDT news695044047 For mating male octopuses, one limb is more important than all others. That is the third right arm or hectocotylus, which is used to transfer sperm to the female because the penis cannot do it directly. Losing the limb can severely affect their ability to father offspring, at least until a new one regenerates. That is why they take extra care to avoid damaging it or losing it to a predator, according to new research published in the journal Ethology. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-lengths-male-octopuses-arm.html Plants & Animals Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:40:03 EDT news694870425 A famous 300-million-year-old fossil that was thought to be the world's oldest octopus—even featuring in the Guinness Book of Records—has turned out to be something else altogether. In what amounts to a case of mistaken identity, the fossil hid its true nature through decay 300 million years ago, before being fossilized. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-oldest-octopus-fossil-scans-reveal.html Evolution Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:10:01 EDT news694683001 A new study by Harvard biologists reveals how octopuses feel their way to potential mates with a "taste by touch" sensory system and can even couple at arm's length without actually seeing each other. In a study featured on the cover of Science, the researchers deciphered how one male appendage serves as a multipurpose organ for seeking, sensing, and seeding—and even continues to respond to female sex hormones after being severed from the body. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-octopus-sensory-potential.html Plants & Animals Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:00:08 EDT news694251961 More than 350,000 chemicals are used worldwide, and many find their way into the ocean through plastic pollution. As plastics accumulate in coastal waters, they continuously leach bioactive additives that can interfere with the chemical cues marine animals rely on to find food, avoid predators, choose habitats, and communicate. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-marine-plastic-pollution-octopus-predator.html Plants & Animals Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:00:01 EST news691155961 Stanford researchers have developed a flexible material that can quickly change its surface texture and colors, offering potential applications in camouflage, art, robotics, and even nanoscale bioengineering. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-flexible-material-mimics-octopus-skin.html Nanophysics Wed, 07 Jan 2026 14:20:04 EST news687017423 In the aftermath of the giant asteroid that crashed into the Yucatan Peninsula about 66 million years ago, approximately 75% of all species on Earth were wiped out, including the dinosaurs. Among those thought to have perished at this K-Pg (Cretaceous-Paleogene) boundary were the ammonites. These were coiled-shelled mollusks with long tentacles related to modern octopuses and squids, and they are known today for their distinctive spiral-shaped fossils. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-ammonites-survived-asteroid-impact-dinosaurs.html Paleontology & Fossils Wed, 07 Jan 2026 09:02:36 EST news686998939 An international team of researchers led by Hokkaido University has characterized the unique mechanics that enable Arcella, a shelled, single-celled amoeba, to move skillfully across different surfaces. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-shelled-amoeba-octopus-shifting-tactics.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 06 Jan 2026 14:50:15 EST news686933401 Researchers at ETH Zurich recently explained the role of a molecular complex that orchestrates the production of proteins in our cells. They now show that this complex also controls the processing of proteins that compact DNA. These new insights could form the basis for new approaches in cancer treatment, but they also critically extend the current understanding of protein biosynthesis. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-molecular-gatekeeper-protein-synthesis.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 19 Dec 2025 14:00:13 EST news685365242 Cephalopods—the class of animals that comprises octopuses and squids—are ubiquitous throughout the ocean, including in the deep sea. However, researchers still don't know very much about the distribution, diversity and behaviors of cephalopods in areas like the abyssal plains of the ocean floor. This is mostly due to the inherent difficulty of studying the area, along with what is thought to be a low abundance of cephalopods in the abyssal plains and their avoidance behaviors. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-deep-sea-squid-caught-masquerading.html Plants & Animals Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:37:49 EST news685020812 Almost a half-mile below the surface of Monterey Bay, California, scientists have recorded rare footage of a seven-arm octopus— only the fourth time the same research team has spotted the species in about four decades. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-rare-deep-sea-encounter-scientists.html Plants & Animals Mon, 15 Dec 2025 08:35:35 EST news685009747 In the canopies of a South American rainforest, a tiny soldier termite has stunned a team of international scientists with its whale-like features. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-moby-dick-termite-species.html Plants & Animals Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:30:02 EST news684166610 A new study, led by the University of Vienna and the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven, shows how the eyes of adult marine bristleworms continue to grow throughout life—driven by a ring of neural stem cells reminiscent of vertebrate eyes. What's more, these stem cells respond to environmental light. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-functional-principles-eye-evolution-sensitive.html Evolution Mon, 01 Dec 2025 14:32:19 EST news683821921 This week, researchers reported that weight and health markers may rebound when patients stop using some of the new hormonal gastric inhibitory polypeptide drugs. A prototype device can restore lost olfactory sense. And a new universal law predicts how brittle objects shatter. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-saturday-citations-cute-squid-scary.html Other Sat, 29 Nov 2025 09:00:01 EST news683552236 Researchers from the University of Vienna (Austria), National Institute of Technology—Wakayama College (NITW; Japan), and Shimane University (Japan) present the largest cephalopod genome sequenced to date. Their analyses, published in iScience, show that the vampire squid has retained parts of an ancient, squid-like chromosomal architecture, thus revealing that modern octopuses evolved from squid-like ancestors. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-vampires-deep-ancient-link-octopuses.html Evolution Tue, 25 Nov 2025 08:51:03 EST news683283061 A new study led by researchers at the University of Hawaii (UH) at Mānoa published in Nature Communications is the first of its kind to show that waste discharged from deep-sea mining operations in the Pacific's biodiverse Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) could disrupt marine life in the midwater "twilight zone"—a vital region 200–1,500 meters below sea level that supports vast communities of zooplankton, tiny animals that serve as the ocean's basic food building blocks. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-kind-deep-sea-threatens-life.html Plants & Animals Thu, 06 Nov 2025 05:00:01 EST news681555901 Scientists at UC San Diego have moved one step closer to unlocking a superpower held by some of nature's greatest "masters of disguise." Octopuses, squids, cuttlefish and other animals in the cephalopod family are well known for their ability to camouflage, changing the color of their skin to blend in with the environment. This remarkable display of mimicry is made possible by complex biological processes involving xanthommatin, a natural pigment. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-scientists-powerhouse-pigment-octopus-camouflage.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 03 Nov 2025 10:31:09 EST news681388261 Skeleton season may be just around the corner, but the skeleton age dawned with the early Cambrian Period, about 538 million to 506 million years ago. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-skeleton-shell-ancient-fossil-home.html Evolution Wed, 15 Oct 2025 08:54:03 EDT news679737241 Researchers have described a new species of deep-sea lanternshark and crab, both with the help of specimens collected from a CSIRO-led 2022 voyage of CSIRO research vessel (RV) Investigator. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-species-deep-sea-shark-crab.html Plants & Animals Mon, 06 Oct 2025 11:28:18 EDT news678968896 Seaweed growing along the world's coastlines could help to inspire new materials. Millions of years of evolution have shaped how seaweeds control light and color, which could offer new approaches for designers to explore. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-seaweed-cells-solar-panels-boost.html Evolution Thu, 11 Sep 2025 12:26:04 EDT news676812361 Octopuses can use any of their arms to perform tasks, but tend to use a particular arm, or arms, for specific tasks. This finding, presented in a paper in Scientific Reports, reveals more about the complex behavior these animals display. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-octopuses-arm-task.html Plants & Animals Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:00:07 EDT news676648441 Octopuses are among the most neurologically complex invertebrates, famed for their extraordinary dexterity. Their eight arms allow them to capture hidden prey, communicate, explore, and even mate across varied habitats. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-octopus-arms-reveal-specialized-movements.html Plants & Animals Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:00:03 EDT news676653002 The week in science: UK fishermen are reporting a massive octopus bloom in the waters off southwest England. Researchers found a massive fossilized pearl in the Australian outback, the largest ever found in the country. And physicists detailed an extremely high-efficiency heat engine that challenges two centuries of thermodynamic understanding. (It's reported in Physical Review Letters, so it's probably legit.) https://phys.org/news/2025-08-saturday-citations-human-impacts-reef.html Other Sat, 30 Aug 2025 09:00:01 EDT news675687268 Nautiloids—a lineage of ancient, externally-shelled cephalopods that diverged from their octopus and squid relatives over 400 million years ago—once dominated our oceans. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-ancient-cephalopod-insight-nautilus-reveals.html Plants & Animals Thu, 14 Aug 2025 11:00:14 EDT news674293681 What happens when things combine? This question lies at the heart of the Borell-Brascamp-Lieb inequality (BBL), a mathematical relation widely applied across many fields of mathematics, science and beyond. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-mathematical-proof-perspectives-effects-blending.html Mathematics Thu, 07 Aug 2025 08:48:04 EDT news673775281 MBARI researchers have developed an innovative imaging system that can be deployed at great depths underwater to study the movement of marine life. The team used the system to study deep-sea octopus and shared their findings in the journal Nature. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-high-resolution-imaging-captures-3d.html Plants & Animals Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:00:11 EDT news673602841 It's Saturday! Let's review the last seven days of research findings: In a kind of logistics/transport breakthrough, archaeologists in Wales have determined that smaller megaliths surrounding Stonehenge were transported by Neolithic humans rather than glaciers, as some researchers have proposed in the past. Harvard scientists created cell-like chemical systems that simulate metabolism, reproduction and evolution, demonstrating that self-created systems can arise in non-biochemical molecules. And like humans, octopuses are susceptible to the "rubber hand" illusion. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-saturday-citations-hot-gold-mechanisms.html Other Sat, 26 Jul 2025 09:00:02 EDT news672660143 Like humans, octopuses can fall for the rubber hand illusion and believe that a fake arm is theirs. This suggests they have a sense of their own body, just as we do. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-rubber-illusion-octopuses.html Plants & Animals Tue, 22 Jul 2025 10:40:13 EDT news672399596