Jaunted

The presumed intelligence of octopuses is particularly vexing to researchers, who wouldn't normally expect such smarts in a creature related to clams that only lives about one year, which is not a long time to acquire knowledge. Still, they seem to surprise everyone who comes in contact with them, with some even suggesting that octopuses possess a sense of humor. To wit, one snarky octopus maintained eye contact with its trainer as it slowly shoved a slightly spoiled shrimp down the drain, a not-so-subtle way of saying that dinner was lousy. And they've been known to squeeze through incredibly tiny holes to get at food or make mischief.

What can you do to keep octopuses from taking over? You could keep everything bolted down, as the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is now doing, or simply avoid the ocean, but I prefer a more aggressive approach: order grilled octopus at every opportunity. It's on the menu of most Greek restaurants, usually as an appetizer served with garlic, onion, and lemon, and it's absolutely delicious.

[Photo: legaljuice.com]

Related Stories:
· Curious Octopus Floods Aquarium [National Geographic]
· Santa Monica Pier Aquarium [Official Site]
· Aquarium Coverage [Jaunted]