Human Elements: Why an octopus might think like an alien

Researcher Dominic Sivitilli goes to the bottom of the sea to study the bizarre mind of the giant pacific octopus.

Ted Alvarez

Ted Alvarez Jun 15, 2025

Feb 3, 2020

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          <article>
            <header>
              <hgroup>
                <h1>Human Elements: Why an octopus might think like an alien</h1>
                <h2><p>Researcher Dominic Sivitilli goes to the bottom of the sea to study the bizarre mind of the giant pacific octopus.</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/ted/">Ted Alvarez</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 3, 2020</time></p>
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            <p>To understand how aliens might think, Dominic Sivitilli went to the bottom of the sea to find the closest thing: an octopus. Its sophisticated nervous systems and sensitive suckers allow it to do incredible things like escape aquariums — but Sivitilli is learning how each of an octopus' eight arms might actually have a mind of its own. We don’t know yet if alien life exists. But if they do, they might think like an octopus.</p>
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To understand how aliens might think, Dominic Sivitilli went to the bottom of the sea to find the closest thing: an octopus. Its sophisticated nervous systems and sensitive suckers allow it to do incredible things like escape aquariums — but Sivitilli is learning how each of an octopus' eight arms might actually have a mind of its own. We don’t know yet if alien life exists. But if they do, they might think like an octopus.

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By Ted Alvarez

Ted Alvarez is formerly an editor at Crosscut and KCTS 9 focused on science and the environment. His work has also appeared in Backpacker, Rolling Stone, Scientific American, and many other outlets.