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Octopuses taste with their tentacles
Episode 826

Octopuses taste with their tentacles

Studying their suction cups to understand how this touch-taste system works

Naked Scientists, In Short Special Editions Podcast · The Naked Scientists

December 2, 20204m 48s

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Show Notes

Let's dive into the depths and consider the octopus. As well as being famous for its 8 arms, and 3 hearts, octopus vision is also impressive: it helps them spy out dinner, among other things. But light isn't always in great supply when you're hunting around on the seabed, so these creatures have a fascinating ability to taste their surroundings and therefore make decisions about what to eat or not, simply by touching things. Now, a paper from scientists at Harvard explains how this touch-taste system actually works on a molecular level. By studying the cells in the suction cups of the... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Topics

octopuses tentaclesoctopus sensesoctopus tasting with tentaclesLena van Giesen