[Coral-List] Yes, the Octopus Is Smart as Heck. But Why?

[Matt Nolan]

Why?

My guess is they got the key random genetic permutation in the genome
that gave their brain the unique circuitry needed to be smart.

They were evolving and they hit the random mutation jackpot.

And the challenging nature of their environmental aided in the change
sticking because it was an advantageous change.

of course, the specifics of the genetic change, is the interesting part
On Mon, Dec 10, 2018 at 9:23 AM Douglas Fenner
<douglasfennertassi at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> It has eight arms, three hearts — and a plan. Scientists aren’t sure how
> the cephalopods got to be so intelligent.
>
> Read More... <https://nyti.ms/2DTnFOa?smid=nytcore-ios-share>
>
> They talk about big brains, but actually Octopus and other cephalopods
> don't have big brains, their brains are about the size of a rice grain.
> Which just makes their intelligence all the more surprising and puzzling,
> it seems to me.  But the cephalopods are all fabulous creatures.
>
> There are links to several other interesting cephalopod stories at the end
> of this story.
>
> Cheers, Doug
> --
> Douglas Fenner
> Ocean Associates, Inc. Contractor
> NOAA Fisheries Service
> Pacific Islands Regional Office
> Honolulu
> and:
> Consultant
> PO Box 7390
> Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799  USA
>
> Global warming will happen faster than we think.
>
> https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07586-5
>
> Nations falling short of emissions cuts set by Paris climate pact, analysis
> finds
>
> http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/11/nations-falling-short-emissions-cuts-set-paris-climate-pact-analysis-finds?utm_campaign=news_daily_2018-11-28&et_rid=17045989&et_cid=2515903
>
> Climate change poses major threat to the US, new government report concludes
>
> http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/11/climate-change-poses-major-threat-us-new-government-report-concludes?utm_campaign=news_daily_2018-11-26&et_rid=17045989&et_cid=2511504
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list