5. Octopuses That Watch And Learn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQwJXvlTWDw If you've even tried to follow a Pinterest tutorial or Ikea flat pack assembly instructions, you'll know that watching somebody else do something does not necessarily mean that you'll master it. This octopus, however, is the kinda guy that would watch a Stairway To Heaven youtube tutorial once, and pick up your guitar like a natural. We all hate that guy. For this experiment, researchers placed two octopuses in adjoining tanks and gave them each a box containing a delicious crab, the only catch was they had to open the box themselves. One of these octopuses was already a seasoned pro at box-opening, but the other had never seen it before. The novice effectively ignored the crab in the box when it was first presented, but as the pro descended on its own box, it immediately slammed itself up against the side of the tank to get a good look. When the novice is next presented with the box, it figures out exactly how to open it and reach the, by now, terrified crab inside, all by observing another octopus once. Now, if we could all learn like that, everybody would have a PhD.