I’m sure that anyone who’s ever watched an octopus wasn’t in the slightest bit confused today when news broke that octopuses* are, in fact, conscious.

But: ever wondered what octopuses are _saying_ when they languidly wave their tentacles at us? Well, the video below has an answer for you :P

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMM4XYteqWI[/youtube]

(A big thanks to @The_Episiarch for drawing it to my attention)

For anyone who’d like to go and hang out with an octopus or several, go down on a Sunday to the Island Bay Marine Education Centre. Take your friends, and parents, and kids, and everyone else you know. Pay the lovely people your $4 entrance (or $2 if you’re a whippersnapper). It’s worth it.

Oh, and I did I mention they also have a handling pool, into which you can put your hands and TOUCH beasties like snake stars and anemones and starfish and such? And get told about them while you lose the feeling in your fingers (from the cold, people, from the cold)? Well. Consider yourself told :P

—-

* Or octopodes. Not octopi. Seriously. Go look it up for yourself :P

** Watch all of it before commenting :P