Getting A Grasp On The Clever Cephalopod
13:24 minutes
Cephalopods—which include octopus, squid, and cuttlefish—are quick, clever, and masters of disguise. Video producer Luke Groskin chats about vampire squid and cuttlefish while biologist Jennifer Basil homes in on one cephalopod that seems to swim below the public’s radar: the nautilus. With its heavy outer shell, weak vision, and primitive brain, it’s a “living fossil”—and Basil’s studying it to better understand the origins of the complex brain of the modern cephalopods. (To see various cephalopods in action, check out the links below.)
Cephalopod Videos
Teaching Ancient Nautilus New Tricks
Caring for Cuttlefish
The Vampire Squid from Hell
Where’s the Octopus
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With every donation of $8 (for every day of Cephalopod Week), you can sponsor a different illustrated cephalopod. The cephalopod badge along with your first name and city will be a part of our Sea of Supporters!
Segment Guests
Jennifer Basil
Jennifer Basil is an associate professor of biology at Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, New York.
Luke Groskin
Luke Groskin is Science Friday’s video producer. He’s on a mission to make you love spiders and other odd creatures.
Related Links
Meet the Producers and Host
About Luke Groskin
@lgroskinLuke Groskin is Science Friday’s video producer. He’s on a mission to make you love spiders and other odd creatures.
About Alexa Lim
@AlexaLim22Alexa Lim was a senior producer for Science Friday. Her favorite stories involve space, sound, and strange animal discoveries.