Comments on: Tool-Using Octopus: Coconut Shells Become Body Armor http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/12/14/tool-using-octopus-uses-coconut-shells-as-body-armor/ Sat, 11 May 2013 22:50:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Jason http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/12/14/tool-using-octopus-uses-coconut-shells-as-body-armor/#comment-20419 Jason Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:08:14 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/?p=4667#comment-20419 threat of attack threat of attack

]]> By: Jason http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/12/14/tool-using-octopus-uses-coconut-shells-as-body-armor/#comment-20418 Jason Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:07:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/?p=4667#comment-20418 tom, I don't think we have enough information. From the interview the guy says they pack them away for future use if under threat attack. tom, I don’t think we have enough information. From the interview the guy says they pack them away for future use if under threat attack.

]]> By: tom http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/12/14/tool-using-octopus-uses-coconut-shells-as-body-armor/#comment-20417 tom Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:16:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/?p=4667#comment-20417 While the behaviour is interesting it doesn't seem that amazing. I suppose it could be called tool use at a stretch, but given the environment and the long term availability of the coconut shells which happen to be particularly useful size and shape, it's a lot closer to nesting behaviour than it is tool use. Dragging a mobile piece of the environment and hiding under it You could argue that a bird that takes bits of straw and uses them to build a structure is exhibiting more complex behaviour than the coconut octopus, yet no-one seems to infer advanced intelligence from birds nests While the behaviour is interesting it doesn’t seem that amazing. I suppose it could be called tool use at a stretch, but given the environment and the long term availability of the coconut shells which happen to be particularly useful size and shape, it’s a lot closer to nesting behaviour than it is tool use. Dragging a mobile piece of the environment and hiding under it

You could argue that a bird that takes bits of straw and uses them to build a structure is exhibiting more complex behaviour than the coconut octopus, yet no-one seems to infer advanced intelligence from birds nests

]]> By: Mrs. Accountability http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/12/14/tool-using-octopus-uses-coconut-shells-as-body-armor/#comment-20416 Mrs. Accountability Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:43:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/?p=4667#comment-20416 Wow. It's hard to get my brain to recognize that the octopus is rather small, instead it seems that the coconut shells are gigantic. Very very cool to see how it carries the shell upside down, tip-toeing. Wow. It’s hard to get my brain to recognize that the octopus is rather small, instead it seems that the coconut shells are gigantic. Very very cool to see how it carries the shell upside down, tip-toeing.

]]> By: Nurse Grace http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/12/14/tool-using-octopus-uses-coconut-shells-as-body-armor/#comment-20415 Nurse Grace Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:06:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/?p=4667#comment-20415 I'm reminded of Douglas Adams and how mice and dolphins are the supreme intelligences on earth. Buddhists revere all sentient beings. I really do not believe that we humans are the supreme, or most intelligent, life force, on this planet (just look at how we are in a race to kill this beautiful blue planet and you can feel like we are the stupidest sentient being on the planet). I’m reminded of Douglas Adams and how mice and dolphins are the supreme intelligences on earth. Buddhists revere all sentient beings. I really do not believe that we humans are the supreme, or most intelligent, life force, on this planet (just look at how we are in a race to kill this beautiful blue planet and you can feel like we are the stupidest sentient being on the planet).

]]> By: some guy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/12/14/tool-using-octopus-uses-coconut-shells-as-body-armor/#comment-20414 some guy Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:12:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/?p=4667#comment-20414 amazing footage! amazing footage!

]]>