Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have more than one brain? Imagine it, you could have one brain doing your algebra homework, the other editing your latest video and perhaps a third brain for good measure to set the table for your dad before he finishes making dinner. But wait, you’re going to need some more arms to back up that brain power and three arms are naturally better than two but why stop there? Why not have eight! Eight arms and nine brains could certainly help you do a lot but can you imagine what you would look like? Probably a whole lot like an octopus.

The word octopus comes from Greek and translates to “eight-feet.” Looking at one of these beauties of the sea it’s pretty obvious how they got that name. What you can’t see just from looking at the octopus is that each of those “feet,” or tentacles, has its own brain. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, each tentacle has its own brain that allows it to think independently from the whole of the octopus. Sort of like if your arms and legs could think and make their own decisions.

Imagine how strange our bodies and movements would be if our limbs could think for themselves. We might look pretty different. Speaking of different, an Octopus has no bones, a feature that comes in handy, and allows her to pour her body though virtually any opening that she can fit her beak through (that’s right folks, like a bird an octopus has a beak!). That’s one beak, eight legs, nine brains, and 280 suckers all through a hole around the size of your thumbnail. Who needs bones when you can do that? Besides, suction cups are far superior to fingers anyway.

The Giant Pacific Octopus has two hundred and eighty suckers, each one with the ability to lift almost 35 pounds! Can you think of something that weighs 35lbs? Six gallons of gas weigh around 35 pounds, 140 sticks of butter weigh around 35lbs, the average 4-year old humanoid weighs around 35lbs. Could you imagine an octopus dragging along 280 four-year old children? 1,680 gallons of gas?? 39,200 sticks of butter??? Pretty impressive Ms. Octopus, pretty impressive. Speaking of impressive, the octopus is the chameleon of the sea with the ability to change both the colors and patterns that appear on his skin. What’s more is that octopuses can change their texture, mimicking the appearance of virtually anything that they come into contact with. Now THAT is a talent that anyone would be happy to have.

With all this brain power and all this physical power and with an uncanny ability to hide, a rational person would naturally think that the octopus would be perfectly capable of taking over the world. Surely our society of puny single brained, two armed, bipeds (an animal that walk on two legs) wouldn’t stand a chance. Perhaps we wouldn’t if it were not for one thing: lifespan. The Giant Pacific Octopus, in spite of all his evolutionary advances only lives for around three to five years. Can you imagine how different our world would look if us humans had a five-year lifespan? The world would probably be a different place. Because an octopus leads such a short life, the focus of its life is focused on one thing: reproduction.

Now if you have learned anything about the extraordinary octopus thus far, it is everything that they do is impressive and making babies is no exception. The female Giant Pacific Octopus will lay over 50,000 eggs in her lifetime. The urge to reproduce is so strong that the male octopus does not seem to care that he is likely to be killed and eaten by his mating partner, such is life under the sea. Besides, the stronger and healthier the mother of his babies, the more likely they will be to hatch and grow into maturity. A noble and worthwhile sacrifice.

In spite of her cannibalistic tendencies, there has rarely been a more attentive mother than a female octopus. She spends virtually all her time caring for her eggs, cleaning them and protecting them from the innumerable predators that would feast on them. Octopus eggs take anywhere from two to ten months to hatch and throughout that time our Octomom never leaves their side. By the time her eggs hatch our lady octopus is at the end of her life and her itty bitty babies are on their own to navigate the broad blue oceans. Out of the 50,000 or more eggs laid, only around one percent ever make it to adulthood.

Life for a baby octopus is full of dangers, even for an animal with 9 brains. Brainpower can only take you so far when you are the size of a speck of sand. Due to their size, unparalleled camouflage abilities and intellect, the baby octopus is elusive and scientists have much yet to discover. Who knows? Perhaps you will use your one fabulous brain to make a new discovery about this extraordinary nine-brained creature.