Human Elements: Why an octopus might think like an alien

Researcher Dominic Sivitilli goes to the bottom of the sea to study the bizarre mind of the giant pacific octopus.

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Sarah Hoffman

Sarah Hoffman Apr 27, 2020

Apr 27, 2020

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                <h1>Human Elements: Why an octopus might think like an alien</h1>
                <h2><p>Researcher Dominic Sivitilli goes to the bottom of the sea to study the bizarre mind of the giant pacific octopus.</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/shoffman-kcts9-org/">Sarah Hoffman</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Apr 27, 2020</time></p>
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            <p>To understand how aliens might think, Dominic Sivitilli went to the bottom of the sea to find the closest thing: an octopus. Its sophisticated nervous systems and sensitive suckers allow it to do incredible things like escape aquariums — but Sivitilli is learning how each of an octopus' eight arms might actually have a mind of its own. We don’t know yet if alien life exists. But if they do, they might think like an octopus.</p>
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To understand how aliens might think, Dominic Sivitilli went to the bottom of the sea to find the closest thing: an octopus. Its sophisticated nervous systems and sensitive suckers allow it to do incredible things like escape aquariums — but Sivitilli is learning how each of an octopus' eight arms might actually have a mind of its own. We don’t know yet if alien life exists. But if they do, they might think like an octopus.

By Sarah Hoffman

Sarah Hoffman is a senior video producer at Cascade PBS, focusing on science and the environment. Previously she worked as a visual journalist for the Omaha World-Herald and The Dallas Morning News. F