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. Cephalopods, like the octopus, have specialized arms and suckers, but how these structures evolved from the simple bodies of their mollusk ancestors remains a mystery. Researchers from the University of Tokyo compared gene activity during embryonic development of cuttlefish, octopus and snail body parts. They found that several genes associated with appendage patterning showed expression along developing cephalopod arms, but no comparable patterns in developing suckers. Developing suckers instead expressed Ets1, a gene associated with early embryonic development in mollusks. The findings suggest cephalopods evolved suckers by reusing existing genes in new ways. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-octopus-cuttlefish-suckers-evolved-repurposing.html Plants & Animals Tue, 20 Oct 2026 09:30:01 EDT news711634621 Octopuses, squid and cuttlefish, collectively known as coleoid cephalopods, have evolved exceptionally large and elaborately structured nervous systems capable of complex behaviors such as problem-solving and rapid camouflage. A new study by scientists at the University of Vienna suggests that the origins of this complexity may lie not just in the genes themselves, but in how the genome is organized in 3D. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-3d-genome-entanglement-cephalopods-evolved.html Plants & Animals Fri, 09 Oct 2026 05:00:12 EDT news710674442 Plesiosaurs swam into river deltas to vomit up shells and other indigestible elements of their marine meals, suggests new research published by Cambridge University Press. The behavior resembles that of today's fur seals and marine crocodiles. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-queasy-plesiosaurs-swam-shore-vomit.html Paleontology & Fossils Tue, 22 Sep 2026 19:00:01 EDT news709201289 Cephalopods are a group of soft-bodied marine mollusks that include cuttlefish, octopuses, squid and nautiluses. Many of these mollusks have muscular suckers on their arms that allow them to seize prey or grip other surfaces in their surroundings. https://phys.org/news/2026-09-cuttlefish-suckers-reveal-rough-prey.html Plants & Animals Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:40:04 EDT news708600523 This year's cuttlefish season has been unlike any other. Every winter, more than 100,000 giant Australian cuttlefish can usually be found mating along the rocky coastline of Point Lowly, northeast of Whyalla, South Australia. They put on shape-shifting, colorful displays in their attempts to attract a mate. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-australia-home-mass-cuttlefish-world.html Ecology Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:20:02 EDT news705572642 Extant and ancient cephalopods—including octopuses, squids, extinct ammonites, cuttlefish and nautiluses—have all had to solve the problem of buoyancy, whether they have hard external shells or not. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-early-cambrian-fossil-uncovers-key.html Evolution Wed, 29 Jul 2026 13:40:05 EDT news704541901 The octopus is a biological oddity. It can use tools, open jars, and its complex nervous system supports as many neurons as a small primate. Now Harvard biologists have discovered a mysterious distinction in octopuses' core biology: Some octopuses have an unusual adaptation in the protein-making machinery of their cells that helps ensure accuracy, perhaps an evolutionary byproduct of their acute sensory system. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-biology-cells-octopus-sleeve.html Plants & Animals Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:00:10 EDT news704447041 An ongoing research project exploring the effects of rising levels of oceanic CO2 on squid neurology reveals that exposure to future levels of ocean acidification could shrink their brain volume by around 50%. This severe brain shrinkage appears to be most pronounced in the areas that interpret visual information, correlating with significant reductions in normal feeding behaviors and suggesting serious consequences for the future of squid and other cephalopods. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-ocean-acidification-brains-world-intelligent.html Plants & Animals Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:00:05 EDT news702630449 Octopuses, squid and cuttlefish may have evolved large brains because of the challenges posed by their environments rather than the demands of social life, according to a new study published in iScience today. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-ecological-factors-social-behavior-brain.html Evolution Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:40:03 EDT news702223381 How does a stripy tree snail hide from hungry birds? The Hypselostyla camelopardalis from the Philippines and Reinia variegata from Japan have both evolved a form of dynamic camouflage to survive. Their light-colored patterns vanish in the rain, and the shell turns dark brown, similar to damp tree bark. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-camouflaging-snails.html Plants & Animals Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:00:03 EDT news702030541 Australia's Great Southern Reef is built not by coral but by seaweed. The seaweed forests on these rocky reefs stretch more than 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles) around southern Australia. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-destroying-australia-underwater-forests-seaweed.html Ecology Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:00:01 EDT news701952361 The four-foot-tall Emperor penguin of Antarctica may be the most iconic member of this unique family of birds, but 17 other species of penguins populate the Southern Hemisphere, many of them confined to isolated islands that make them hard to study. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-scientists-gentoo-penguins-species-totally.html Evolution Fri, 08 May 2026 13:00:01 EDT news697461182 Biological invasions occur when organisms such as animals and plants are introduced by people to regions of the world where they do not naturally occur. In these new locations, these organisms are referred to as "alien species." https://phys.org/news/2026-05-biological-invasions-severe-animal.html Plants & Animals Tue, 05 May 2026 17:40:01 EDT news697206842 From color-changing skin to jet-propelled motion, squid and cuttlefish have long fascinated scientists. To understand the origins of their unique characteristics, many attempts have been made to define their evolutionary history. However, the limited fossil record and incomplete genomic information have made it impossible to confidently order the evolution of these enigmatic creatures, until now. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-million-years-evolutionary-fuse-lit.html Evolution Mon, 30 Mar 2026 05:00:10 EDT news693828311 Most seals give birth to a pup around the same time each year, and wean them and send them on their way within 12 months in an annual cycle. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-sea-lion-camera-reveals-mother.html Plants & Animals Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:07:29 EST news689947621 Many organisms leverage showy colors for attracting mates. Because color is a property of light (determined by its wavelength), it is easy for humans to see how these colors are used in animal courting rituals. Less obvious to humans is the polarization of light—a property of light related to the direction the wave is oriented in. Humans can't perceive polarization, which may be why we weren't aware of the interesting way cuttlefish use it to attract mates. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-cuttlefish-polarized-display-invisible-humans.html Plants & Animals Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:00:02 EST news688741069 Perth's two dolphin groups in the Swan-Canning Rivers and further south in Cockburn Sound have been studied for more than a decade by Murdoch University researcher Dr. Delphine Chabanne, who is a passionate champion of the marine mammals' welfare. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-perth-dolphins-season-loyal-groups.html Plants & Animals Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:06:18 EST news687690362 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 When a ship sinks, it is often in tragic circumstances. Beneath the waves, however, a different story unfolds: shipwrecks become the foundations of new life. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-shipwrecks-islands-life-barren-seas.html Ecology Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:43:26 EST news685622582 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 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 South Australia's catastrophic harmful algal bloom now affects almost 30% of the state's coastline, stretching from the Coorong in the state's southeast to the seafood-rich Spencer Gulf to the west. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-algal-bloom.html Ecology Tue, 19 Aug 2025 11:20:04 EDT news674820700 Every year off the South Australian coast, giant Australian cuttlefish come together in huge numbers to breed. They put on a technicolor display of blue, purple, green, red and gold, changing hues as they mate and lay eggs. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-giant-cuttlefish-technicolor-display-globally.html Plants & Animals Wed, 30 Jul 2025 10:39:04 EDT news673090742 South Australia is desperate for help to tackle an unprecedented harmful algal bloom that has decimated marine life up and down the coast. While the extent of the damage is still unknown, my preliminary research suggests there's no end in sight. It may just get better over winter before it gets worse next summer. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-south-australia-algal-bloom-winter.html Ecology Tue, 22 Jul 2025 11:20:01 EDT news672400519 Taking a cue from ocean-dwelling species, University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers are developing synthetic skins that will support the emergence of next-generation "soft" machines, robots and other devices. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-cephalopod-synthetic-skins-enable-soft.html Polymers Tue, 17 Jun 2025 11:24:54 EDT news669378286 South Australian beaches have been awash with foamy, discolored water and dead marine life for months. The problem hasn't gone away; it has spread. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-underwater-bushfire-south-australia-marine.html Ecology Sun, 15 Jun 2025 11:40:01 EDT news669033209 Before setting sail for the South Pacific, Chilean fisherman Rodrigo Gallardo blesses himself to invoke heavenly protection and luck in his pursuit of an increasingly elusive catch: hake. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-merluza-chile-favorite.html Ecology Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:40:01 EDT news668431687 Over the past 500 million years, nearly all evolutionary changes in octopuses and squids occurred in rapid bursts during the emergence of new species, according to research from the University of Auckland. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-punctuated-equilibrium-analysis-rapid-evolutionary.html Evolution Thu, 05 Jun 2025 09:10:14 EDT news668333401 Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and partner institutions, including the Brookfield Zoo Chicago's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (SDRP), are the winners of the inaugural Coller Dolittle Challenge for their work in identifying possible language-like communication in dolphins. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-evidence-language-communication-dolphins.html Plants & Animals Mon, 19 May 2025 08:05:17 EDT news666860402