Scientists didn't know what kind of octopus egg they'd plucked from the bottom of the sea until the shell started to hatch — then, they saw the elephant ears. The adorable cephalopod hatchling, which you can see in a new video taken by researchers on a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expedition, is known as a Dumbo octopus (genus Grimpoteuthis). Named after Disney's flying elephant, Dumbo octopi are easily distinguished by the floppy, ear-like fins popping out of their heads, which they use to swim around the deep sea. The video, which accompanies a new paper published today (Feb. 19) in the journal Current Biology, shows a freshly hatched Dumbo octopus swimming for the first time in a bucket of water aboard the NOAA research vessel. [8 Crazy Facts About Octopuses] The wee hatchling's mantle — the bulbous shell above its tentacles, where most of its internal organs are located — measured just 0.5 inches (13 millimeters), the researchers … [Read more...] about 1st Video of Dumbo Octopus Hatchling Is Adorbs
Octopus
Will Android 8.0 be named Octopus? (No)
Now that the Android O Developer Preview 4 is out, Google is once again getting serious about teasing with possible names. Case in point: the old Easter egg for Android O (which was really just Nougat's Neko Cat game) has just been replaced with an interactive (and slightly disconcerting) floating octopus.Naturally, nearly everyone who heard this news immediately jumped to the conclusion that Android 8.0 will be named "Octopus" — not that far of a reach if you subscribe to the theory of an octopus being a tasty treat. But, it's also wrong.We've been in the same boat before: last year Google teased us with "Namey McNameface." And before that, we got the shrug kaomoji — or in other words, there's a clear timeline of the Android team trolling the enthusiasts clamoring for an early reveal of the latest version's name.So why an octopus? Well, it starts with an "o" for one thing. Plus, it has eight legs, which correlates with Android O being version 8.0. And as for the … [Read more...] about Will Android 8.0 be named Octopus? (No)
Paul The Octopus is reborn into Cortana – the oracle that predicted Belgium’s win against the USA
It turns out Microsoft's Windows Phone voice assistant, Cortana, is quite the football fan. Not only will she tell you everything about the World Cup if you ask her, but she seems to continue the legacy of the late, great Paul The Octopus as well. Four years ago, the common octopus became infamous with its uncommon knack for predicting the results of World Cup matches, landing an unmatched streak of correct guesses. Today, Microsoft's Bing team is experimenting with predicting the outcomes of sport and reality television events, such as The Voice and American Idol. Using its Bing-powered brain, Cortana answers users' questions about which team will win the game tonight. Even though her answers are ever so slightly ambiguous – she's a lady, after all - she's yet to lose a prediction. Thus far, Cortana correctly guessed The Netherlands, Costa Rica, Brazil, Columbia, and France as winners. It also sensed that Belgium will beat the USA. “Thanks”, Cortana!What's the … [Read more...] about Paul The Octopus is reborn into Cortana – the oracle that predicted Belgium’s win against the USA
Comments for : Paul The Octopus is reborn into Cortana – the oracle that predicted Belgium’s win against the USA
posted on 02 Jul 2014, 07:54 1 1. qdugger (Posts: 2; Member since: 02 Jul 2014) Oracle? That'd make me Nostradamus by predicting tomorrow will be July 3rd.... posted on 02 Jul 2014, 08:27 1 2. itsdeepak4u2000 (Posts: 3718; Member since: 03 Nov 2012) Not the Octopus but still great MS, love Cortana. posted on 02 Jul 2014, 08:31 0 3. lalalaman (Posts: 638; Member since: 19 Aug 2013) very nice:D posted on 02 Jul 2014, 08:53 5 4. ChandlerBing (Posts: 35; Member since: 17 Feb 2014) The Belgians were very kind. They knew that the 4th of July holiday is coming up so they sent the US packing so that they could spend the holiday with their families. posted on 02 Jul 2014, 10:48 0 5. Mozarrt (Posts: 301; Member since: 08 Oct 2011) Well what are the predictions for the upcoming games? I still need to fill in my betting slip. posted on 02 Jul 2014, 19:14 0 7. MrTzr (unregistered) Go Netherlands! Costa Rica is our next victim! posted on 03 Jul … [Read more...] about Comments for : Paul The Octopus is reborn into Cortana – the oracle that predicted Belgium’s win against the USA
Why this adorable hatching octopus suddenly turned purple
Last night, a strange video appeared on Twitter: it looks like some sort of deep sea bloom — but then a tiny octopus squirts out and zooms away, changing colors from white to purple. What exactly are we seeing here? The video, posted by the Virginia Aquarium, shows a baby Caribbean reef octopus (Octopus briareus) no bigger than a pinky nail hatching from a bundle of eggs. As for the color change, these octopuses are known to be masters of disguise. “It was going into an instant camouflage as soon as it came out of the egg,” says Julie Levans, senior curator at the aquarium. These octopuses use specialized muscles to open and close little sacs of pigment in their skin called chromatophores — and this little guy was probably responding to the black tabletop beneath its tank. The baby octopus’s mom arrived at the aquarium about six months ago, and four months later, she laid between 100 and 200 eggs. Since this softball-sized species is solitary and also … [Read more...] about Why this adorable hatching octopus suddenly turned purple