IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, THERE'S ALWAYS BEER

Marine experts have given 25 octopuses a Rubik's Cube each in a study aimed at easing their stress levels in captivity.

(Thanks to Janice Gelb)

Comments

[EB]

Octidextris? that's a new one..

What if they solve the Cube?? Are humans endangered??

EB

[ScottMGS]

I think it's a study to see if visitors will do the boffins' work for them. For free. That's gotta be worth a couple hundred thousand dollars, eh?

[nursecindy]

EB, they have a better chance of solving the cube than I do. Of course peeling off the stickers does help. How do you get grant money for things like this? I would like to do a study on why my labrador likes to chase squirrels. Is it instinct or unresolved puppy issues? What would happen if I gave her a stuffed animal squirrel. I already know the answer to that one. If it had a squeaker in it she would tear that out in about 5 minutes. But which paw would she use to hold it on the floor?

[Siouxie]

We all know what a guy's favorite tentacle is. Duh.

[Meanie the Blue]

At the end of a rough workday, I always reach for a nice cold rubik's cube.

There's nothing like it.

[ScottMGS]

Duh, Siouxie - the only one.

[Margaritaville]

I know when I want to relax I think of working on complicated and frustrating puzzles too.

[Siouxie]

They should be careful. Remember what happened with that rubber ducky?

[Clankazoid]

If this works, give them a saxaphone and some sheet music.

[Steve]

Wait. They gave them Rubik's Cubes to RELIEVE stress? I would think that live electrodes would work as well.
If they want to give them a puzzle that takes time to master, give them a three-hook bra to play with.

[NotSherly]

I always thought it was 'octo pie'.
Maybe it's just me, but it's possible that octopusses (π) may not have a sense of 'play' and that giving them things that they cannot eat may just be frustrating to them.
I know the Rubik's Cube certainly is frustrating to me.

[ScottMGS]

And no one should bring up Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octopus.

...

Oops.

[Jeff Meyerson]

cindy, wasn't Unresolved Puppy Issues an 80's band?

[oneblankspace]

Octopodes.

How do they expect octopodes to use one arm on the Rubiks cube, when most humans use two?

[Siouxie]

Octomom should get one too. She may be a little stressed by now.

[Clown Puppy]

"octopuses...have even been shown to partially think with their arms."

Maybe they're Italian octopuses?

[nursecindy]

I believe it was Jeff. Of course I was only a child then. Siouxie be careful of ScottMGS. According to a post he made on the parrot link yesterday his is rubber. I'm still trying to work that out in my mind.

[ScottMGS]

I'm rubber. You're glue. It bounces off me and sticks to you.

;-p

[Martinishark]

Then they will use 4 scientists to teach the creatures how to high-5.

[ron]

Wouldn't a Rubik's Octagon be better?

[Horace LaBadie]

I like the clever way that the researchers label the left-side tentacles with an L instead of an R. This shows really close attention to detail in the experiment.

["frodolives"]

NotSherly, I say octopusses, you say octopi... Let's call the whole thing off...

[Horace LaBadie]

I just say Maud Adamses.

[cowprintrabbit]

NotSherly, They definitely have a sense of play - I have friends that dive in the Pacific Northwest (brr!) and I guess the giant octopi there like to steal things, particularly dive lights, from divers and play keepaway.

["frodolives"]

OH, GOOD GOD, Siouxie!!! If Octomom had an octopus, that's 64!!! And then each of them... (Of course, exponentially, we could tax them each a dollar, and pay off the national debt in 276 years...) (And Allen in Division, I made the numbers up, so don't bother doing the math...)

[NotSherly]

Thanks for the Allan Sherman song, Fr D'Olives. I hadn't heard that before. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to plant my tomahtoes.
CPR, playful octopi wbagnf guys I dated in high school.

["frodolives"]

NotSherl... I would NEVER want to stop you from planting your home-grown tomatoes!!!

["Frere D'Olives"]

BTW, "Fr D'Olives" is one I hadn't heard before...

Reminds me of the Mel Brooks movie "Spaceballs"...

Priest: "You're the best man?"
John Candy, as the "Mog": Yes!
Priest: "What's your name?"
Mog: "Barf!"
Priest: "Full name?"
Mog: "Barf-olomew!!!"

[Audrey the Liberal]

I believe the proper pluralization is octopodes, being Greek in origin.