As the 2026 World Cup approaches, zoos and animal influencers are making predictions, inspired by the famous psychic octopus Paul. Guadalajara Zoo and Leipzig Zoo animals, along with internet-famous cat Nimbus Pronos, have made their picks for opening matches.
A massive bloom of common octopuses (Octopus vulgaris) in UK waters, first seen in Devon and Cornwall in 2025, has spread to Scotland and Wales, impacting the fishing industry and marine ecosystem due to warming seas.
May's science roundup features a potential prehistoric copper smelting site in the Pyrenees, a new species of tiny blue octopus from the Galapagos, insights into why cats prefer silver vine over catnip, and a study suggesting political polarization behaves like a phase transition.
A newly named species of tiny blue octopus, Microeledone galapagensis, discovered in the deep sea off the Galápagos Islands, has been classified using non-destructive CT scanning due to its rarity.
Scientists have discovered a new species of tiny blue octopus, Microeledone galapagensis, near the Galapagos Islands. The golf-ball-sized creature was filmed at a depth of 1,773 meters using a remotely operated vehicle during a 2015 expedition. Researchers used micro-CT scans to study the specimen without harming it.
Análise de mandíbulas fossilizadas de 100 a 72 milhões de anos atrás revela polvos gigantes ancestrais, Nanaimoteuthis jeletzkyi e N. haggarti, que rivalizavam em tamanho com répteis marinhos e possuíam inteligência avançada.
Acquisition would result in combined company serving about 9.6 million customers if given regulatory approvalBusiness live – latest updatesThe German energy group E.ON has agreed to buy struggling UK rival Ovo in a deal that would create Britain’s biggest gas and electricity supplier.The combined company will serve about 9.6 million customers, overtaking the market leader, Octopus, which serves almost 8m households in the UK. Continue reading...
"Galicia is Europe’s leading fishing power, and we cannot stop fighting every battle to ensure it remains so," Spanish MEP Adrián Vázquez Lázara said.
Octopus Energy CEO Greg Jackson has suggested some households would accept occasional electricity blackouts in exchange for 25% lower energy bills, sparking controversy on the anniversary of Europe's largest power outage in Spain and Portugal. The comments come as UK dual fuel bills are expected to rise to almost £2,000 from July, with grid upgrade costs climbing from £254 to £457 annually. Jackson, 54, clarified he was not advocating for blackouts but said Spanish consumers would accept occasional outages for cheaper electricity. At least six people died in last year's Iberian blackout, including two who died after being unable to run breathing equipment.
Octopus Energy CEO Greg Jackson has suggested some households might accept occasional electricity blackouts in exchange for significantly lower energy bills, citing Spain's 25% cheaper electricity as a model. Speaking at an industry conference on the anniversary of Europe's largest power outage that affected tens of millions in Spain and Portugal, Jackson clarified he is not advocating for blackouts but argued consumers would trade reliability for lower costs. The comments come as Octopus Energy campaigns against tens of billions of pounds in UK grid investment that it says drives up household bills.
Researchers using a new Digital Fossil Mining technique have discovered fossilized jaws from giant Cretaceous octopods that reached up to 19 meters in length, challenging the long-held view that vertebrates alone dominated the Mesozoic marine food chain. The species Nanaimoteuthis haggarti had powerful beaks showing wear patterns from crushing hard prey, and lateralized behavior suggesting high intelligence comparable to modern octopuses.
Researchers have discovered fossilized remains of two giant octopus species from the late Cretaceous period (100 million years ago) in northern Japan. Using innovative digital fossil-mining techniques with AI, they found jaws inside concretions that indicate the creatures reached up to 60 feet in length — larger than a school bus and rivaling other apex predators of the era. These ancient octopuses likely fed on hard-shelled prey like shrimp and lobster, and showed signs of right-side jaw dominance suggesting early brain development.
Palaeontologists have identified a massive octopus species, Nanaimoteuthis haggarti, which lived during the Cretaceous period. Reaching up to 19m in length, the apex predator likely competed with sharks and marine reptiles before going extinct 66 million years ago.
Researchers have identified fossils of a giant prehistoric octopus, Nanaimoteuthis haggarti, that lived during the Cretaceous period 86-72 million years ago. The species reached 7-19m in length, making it one of the largest invertebrates ever recorded. Found in Japan and Vancouver Island, the fossils show wear on the creature's beak indicating it hunted large prey, supporting comparisons to the mythical kraken.
Scientists have identified ancient octopus fossils belonging to genus Nanaimoteuthis, particularly Nanaimoteuthis haggarti, which may have grown up to 19 meters (62 feet) long—longer than a bus and possibly the largest invertebrate ever recorded. Analysis of 27 fossilized beaks reveals these creatures were apex predators in Cretaceous oceans, using intelligence and crushing bite force to dominate marine ecosystems alongside mosasaurs and plesiosaurs.
Scientists from Hokkaido University have analysed fossil jaws suggesting giant octopuses up to 19 metres long ruled ancient oceans 100 million years ago. The research challenges the long-held view that vertebrates like fish and reptiles were the largest ocean predators, indicating these cephalopods were powerful predators with strong arms and beak-like jaws capable of chewing shells and bones.
Researchers from Hokkaido University in Japan have analyzed exceptionally preserved fossil jaws from 100 million-year-old octopuses, estimating body lengths of 1.5-4.5 metres and total lengths including arms of 7-19 metres. The findings challenge the long-held belief that ancient ocean predators were exclusively vertebrates, suggesting giant cephalopods were powerful predators capable of consuming hard-shelled prey.
Octopus has introduced 'Easy Ride' in its app, allowing Hong Kong passengers to book and pay for taxis in one interface. The launch aligns with new government mandates requiring taxis to accept electronic payments.
A 300-million-year-old fossil, Pohlsepia mazonensis, previously identified as the oldest octopus, has been reclassified as a nautiloid after advanced imaging techniques revealed it lacked octopus features and possessed a nautiloid radula.
