Octopus!: The Most Mysterious Creature in the Sea

(Paperback)

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Description

Octopuses have been captivating humans for as long as we have been catching them. Yet for all of our ancient fascination and modern research, we still have not been able to get a firm grasp on these enigmatic creatures. Katherine Harmon Courage dives into the mystifying underwater world of the octopus and reports on her research around the world. She reveals, for instance, that the oldest known octopus lived before the first dinosaurs; that two thirds of an octopus's brain capacity is spread throughout its arms, meaning each literally has a mind of its own.

Reviews

The octopus is like an alternate experiment in intelligent lifesophisticated, alluring, and wholly alien. In her fresh, deeply reported

book, Katherine Harmon Courage makes this creature a little lessmysterious, but no less marvelous.
CARL ZIMMER, author ofA Planet of Viruses and The TangledBank: An Introduction to Evolution

What is it like to be an octopus We need to imagine that our arms, alleight of them, can think and that our skin can see. Despite our obvioustrouble understanding this invertebrate, no one doubts its intellect.A delightful book about a fascinating creature!

FRANS DE WAAL, author ofThe Bonobo and the Atheist

According to this book, octopuses can sprout temporary horns. Horns!Seriously, you need to read this book.
WILL TRACY,editor in chief, The Onion

A pleasant, chatty book on a fascinating subject.
Kirkus

[A] well-written, accessible book.
-Library Journal
Katherine Harmon Courages reportage on what the mollusk is teaching us about robotics, invertebrate intelligence and camouflage is excellent
Nature Journal

In journalist Katherine Harmon Courages intimate, expansive portrait of these mysterious creatures, she reveals their role in everything from military research to tasty cuisine.
Psychology Today

"Katherine Harmon Courages first book Octopus! is crammed with funny,weird, memorable stories about human interactions with cephalopods that start out strange and only get stranger."
NBCNews.com

"I love Octopus! What creature is more beguiling, expressive and enigmatic Katherine Harmon Courage's breezy, accessible book introduces us to a top predator, a shape-shifter, a sea mystery that no one can resist."
--SY MONTGOMERY, author of Journey of the Pink Dolphins: An Amazon Quest

Author Bio

Katherine Harmon Courageis an award-winning journalist, currently acontributing editor for Scientific American. This isher first book. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.