The Body That Thinks

On the third morning, Chiara put a small clear maze in the tank. There was crab meat at the centre. The way through had two right turns and a left turn.

Pasta watched from her corner.

Pasta sent two arms toward the maze. Her body did not move. The arms went different ways. One went on top. One went inside.

An octopus has many neurons. Two thirds of them are in the arms, not in the head. Each arm has its own nervous system. Each arm can solve a problem.

The first arm went through the maze. It turned at the corners. The second arm found a small gate. The first arm pushed from inside. The second arm pushed from outside. The gate opened.

The arm took the crab meat.

Pasta had not moved her body.

Chiara watched her video. "The arms got the food," she said. "Did the octopus solve the maze, or did the arms solve it? We do not know."

Polly looked at Pasta. The octopus pulled the crab meat to her beak.