Stories by Katherine Harmon Courage

Baby Octopuses: Pickier Eaters Than Baby Humans

Baby octopuses are notoriously difficult to keep alive in captivityas in, almost impossible. Like their adult parents, they’re sensitive to water pH and temperature and all of that jazz.

Speedy Octopus Sets Record for Jar Opening

It isn’t every day in the ocean that an octopus comes across a jar to openespecially one that contains a tasty live crab. Which is why it is particularly impressive that these invertebrates can quickly figure out how to twist off a cap in captivity.

Octopus Arms, Human Tongues Intertwine for Science

Unless you’ve eaten sannakji, the Korean specialty of semi-live octopus, you might never have had a squirming octopus arm in your mouth.

Octopuses Make Food for Weird Critters

Along with us humans, a range of hungry hunters prey on the scrumptious octopus. The boneless octopus must avoid becoming lunch for sharks, eels, fish and even killer whales.

Octopus, How Do You Count Your Suckers?

We all know that the male octopus uses his third right arm as a penis. (Oh, you didn’t? It’s true. Sometimes he even detaches it to give to the female.) In fact, all of the arms, if not so specialized, are easily identifiableas numbers one, two, three or four on the left or right side.

Could an Octopus Really Be Terrorizing Oklahoma’s Lakes?

TULSA, Okla.–As the rate of unexplained drowning deaths has reportedly crept up in Oklahoma’s placid lakes, some observers have turned to an unusual explanation: a freshwater octopus.

Octopus In Space: Why the Latest U.S. Spy Rocket Is More Appropriate Than the NRO Knows

The new impressively oblivious (or riotously self-mocking)logo that adorned a rocket carrying U.S. spy satellites is actually not a bad choice, as metaphors go.

Genetic Cures for the Gut

Octopus Suckers Have Groovy Secret for Strength

Octopus suckers are extraordinary. They can move and grasp objects independently. They can “taste” the water around them. They can even form a seal on rough surfaces underwater.

New Views into the Octopus’s Bizarre Moves

We’ve known for centuries that octopuses get around one of two ways: one, by crawling over surfaces with their arms, or, two, swimming with the help of their siphon’s jet.

How a Video Game Can Help Us Understand What It’s Like to Be an Octopus [Video]

You have one brain. Which controls two jointed arms. And ten jointed fingers. All of which are going to have a very hard time keeping up with the protagonist in the new video game Octodad: Dadliest Catch.

Why Tracy Morgan’s Pet Octopus Should Be a Dog

The comedian Tracy Morgan is known for his outlandish sensibilities, caricatured by his character Tracy Jordan on the NBC show 30 Rock. Given his obvious penchant for the odd, perhaps it’s no surprise that he’s opted to own a pet octopus, which he featured in a tweet last year.

Happy Octopus Day! The 8 Best Octopus Discoveries

October 8 might be International Octopus Day, but October 31, 2013 is Octopus! day. My book Octopus! The Most Mysterious Creature In the Sea is publishing today.

Hey, How Old Is That Octopus?

Trees have rings, horses have teeth and even rocks have radiocarbon decay. But how can you tell an octopus’s age? This isn’t a frivolous question.

How Did a Giant Octopus Lose the Battle of Seattle?

This time last year, one unlucky Seattle octopus was reportedly beaten to death by a local diver and then brought home to be eaten for dinner.

5 High-Tech Prisons Where Even Stallone and Schwarzenegger Couldn't Break Out

Ultrahigh-security systems similar to that in the movie Escape Plan are already keeping convicts behind bars

Robot Octopus Swims with Lifelike Arms [Video]

Happy International Octopus Day!

October 8 is International Octopus day (naturally)—and kicks off International Cephalopod Awareness Days. Perhaps I am a little biased, having written a book about them, but I think these animals deserve at least one day of celebration.

How to Build a Robot Octopus

Smart, strong and flexible, the octopus is an enticing model for an entirely new kind of many-armed, multitalented robot

Health-Insurance Exchanges Open Tomorrow: Here’s What You Need to Know

October 1 will be the first day millions of Americans will be able to start shopping for individual health insurance coverage in the new state-level exchanges.