Hollywood special effects experts often draw inspiration from nature, and few creatures are as alien as cephalopods. The octopus, squid, and cuttlefish are shapeshifters with three hearts, blue blood, and holes in their brains. These intelligent creatures may look otherworldly, but they’ve lived on Earth for millions of years, in every ocean.
From Ancient Greek for ‘head foot’ due to the perception of the head being directly connected to the limbs, cephalopods are among the top predators of their habitat. A master of stealth, the giant octopus can change the colour of its skin, even mimicking the rocks or corals of the seabed. As for the cuttlefish, unique among invertebrates, there’s evidence that they can enter REM sleep, and may be able to dream.
Cephalopods may not be from another galaxy, but they are the aliens of the deep.
