Octopus Brains [UNCUT, 30-MINUTE VERSION]

Everybody loves cephalopods?that class of animals containing octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish. But why? What makes these non-fluffy, non-mammals so appealing?

Last August, I attempted to answer that question in a presentation for a University of New Mexico IGERT symposium (http://www.chtm.unm.edu/incbnigert/2010Symposium.html). "Those Fabulous Octopus Brains" is a speech linking cephalopod neurobiology to cephalopod behavior, and asking what it really means to call a species "intelligent". It'll get you caught up on what we do, and don't, know about cephalopod smarts?and what studying these amazing creatures means for the future of human technology, and our understanding of the human brain.

Don't have time to watch the entire thing? Never fear. The intrepid editors at BoingBoing Video have put together a highlights reel that will enlighten you in a 1/3 of the time.

Short version here (10 minutes): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyGazPZmmM0

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