Scientists Found Another Clue Behind Why Octopuses Self-Destruct

Also, are they aliens? At least one study claims they just might be

Hiya!

I’ve found the answer to “what’s your favorite animal” is harder to pinpoint, given everything I’m learning about the animal kingdom. Then again, I’m never good at choosing a favorite, well, anything. It’s difficult for me to even come up with a top three or five. Though if I had such a list, the octopus would definitely be on there.

I wrote about octopuses last May after watching the well-known Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher and then tumbling down a rabbit hole learning about them. Since then, scientists have learned more about two things I mentioned in the newsletter. First, the mystery behind why and how octopuses self-destruct after mating and laying their eggs is solved — scientifically at least. And secondly, it turns out that octopuses are more than just like aliens. They may actually be aliens.

An Octopus’ Bizarre Self-Destruction

I briefly discussed it in the May newsletter, but one of the many things octopuses are known for is their incredibly short life span. Most male octopuses live between 2 and 3 years, whereas females survive for only about a year.

The males die off shortly after impregnating a female, while the female’s life ends shortly after her eggs hatch—sometimes before. Once the females become impregnated, they retreat to a den to lay and protect up to 100,000 eggs. After the babies hatch and can swim and eat on their own, the mom swims off to die in peace.

Though it’s not just strange that octopuses don’t live long, how they die is just as weird. Unlike us, whose bodies will fight to survive, octopuses seem to kinda commit suicide by self-destructing.

At their appropriate time, octopuses of both genders begin a period of what’s known as senescence. They stop eating and either starve to death or become prey to other animals. They also lose the ability to heal their skin, letting wounds fester and take on a whitish color as they deteriorate. At least some appear to lose control of their bodies or minds, they’ll even forget how to swim. Sometimes, female octopuses will strangle and kill their mates after being impregnated. And both sexes are known for chewing their own limbs off.

Why Do They Do This?

Researchers have known since 1944 that the process of mating triggers a deadly effect within the inner workings of octopuses. Then in 1977, researchers discovered the optic gland plays a role in their demise.