Octopuses Have Two Distinct Tricks for Squeezing Through Gaps
How octopuses squeeze through too small gaps
A Journal of Experimental Biology study examines how octopuses navigate openings, finding they use two different strategies depending on hole size—one for larger gaps and another for smaller ones. Hacker News commenters note the paper's stated motivation is robotics, and riff on how basic research now needs a practical justification, with one pointing out the obvious limit: an octopus can't get through a gap that's too small.
It's so funny that we've moved beyond search and rescue as a justification for cool robots, to cool robots as a justification for studying octopi.
- randomImmigrant
An octopus is what results when water gains consciousness.
- hatthew
I love that their justification for this study is robots. I think science for the sake of learning is good and justification isn't always necessary. But it's so funny that we've moved beyond search and rescue as a justification for cool robots, to cool robots as a justification for studying octopi.
- Crunchified
How octopuses squeeze through too small gaps
Obligatory click-bait title comment...
The article describes how octopuses get through holes in one of two ways, one for larger holes and one for smaller holes.
Spoiler: An octopus cannot get through a gap that is too small.