Why Do Octopuses Tear Themselves Apart After Mating?
Octopus mothers slam themselves against rocks and eat their own arms before their eggs hatch. Scientists have discovered what leads to the self-destruction.
Transcript
00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 For most octopus moms, brooding eggs
00:09 is the last thing she'll ever do.
00:11 As her eggs get close to hatching,
00:13 an octopus mother will self-destruct.
00:16 She stops eating.
00:17 She may tear at her own skin,
00:19 bang her body against rocks,
00:21 or even eat her own arms.
00:23 Now researchers know why.
00:25 When an octopus mom lays eggs,
00:28 a set of glands near her eyes called the optic glands
00:31 start amping up their production
00:32 of certain components of cholesterol.
00:34 These molecules seem to act as signals
00:37 that kick off a fetal frenzy.
00:39 The findings could help explain why an intelligent creature
00:46 like the octopus lives for merely a year.
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