Instant Genius Podcast: The mysteries of the octopus, with Prof David Scheel

Instant Geniusis a bite-sized masterclass in podcast form. And in this episode, we explore octopuses.

And for good reason. Quite simply, octopuses are surely one of the most unusual animals on Earth. They have eight limbs, three hearts, a doughnut-shaped brain and bleed blue blood. It’s little wonder, then, that they have inspired awe and curiosity in everyone from artists and filmmakers to biologists and science fiction writers.

In this episode, we catch up withDavid Scheel, professor of marine biology at Alaska Pacific University. He tells us what he has learned in his 25 years of studying these fascinating animals, and what new discoveries he made when writing his book,Many Things Under a Rock: The Mysteries of Octopuses.

Listen to more episodes of Instant Genius:

• Why touch is our most misunderstood sense, with Prof Michael Banissy
• Allergies, with Theresa Macphail
• Why a four-day workweek could make you more productive, with Alex Pang
• The intriguing science of phages, with Tom Ireland
• The fascinating science of fermentation, with Prof Andrea Sella
• Why people believe in ghosts, with Ben Alderson-Day