Mildly interesting
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Siskel and Ebert review Jaws, 1975.
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A giant octopus civilization may have emerged under the sea — and it’s not what scientists expected
Off the coast of Australia, marine biologists recently discovered something that defied decades of assumptions: a massive, organized group of octopuses living in a dense underwater community — sharing space, arranging rocks, and even using tools. Nicknamed “Octopolis” and “Octlantis,” these settlements are rewriting what we thought octopuses were.
Octopuses have long been considered antisocial loners — solitary predators with short lifespans. But these sites, found in 2012 and revisited with deeper cameras in 2024, revealed over 20 individuals living together in stone “apartments,” arranging debris to form barriers, and even signaling each other with skin color pulses.
Footage shows octopuses stealing, retaliating, cooperating to fend off predators, and even engaging in what seems like ritual courtship displays — far more complex than previously thought. They aren’t just surviving — they’re structuring space, behaving territorially, and possibly even forming alliances.
Researchers are hesitant to use the word “culture,” but what else do you call a species modifying its environment, developing social behavior, and showing learning across generations? Especially when it’s done without bones, vocal cords, or language?
Even more incredible: these octopuses may have created their habitat using discarded scallop shells and human litter — turning our waste into building material. In a strange way, they’ve adapted to the Anthropocene faster than many mammals.
Now, biologists are deploying AI-powered submersibles to monitor interactions, hoping to catch evidence of teaching or long-term pair bonds. What we’re witnessing may not just be strange animal behavior — but the rise of another form of civilization, deep beneath the waves.
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In a low pressure environment (e.g., a vacuum), a drop of water hitting a hard surface would produce no splash.
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The living hell of Boston public transport is presumably less awful for 20% of the population than the living hell of Boston traffic.
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For some Corvette Z06 owners, driving the car isn't enough—they want to build part of it themselves. Chevrolet offers this opportunity through its Engine Build Experience, a $5,000 program that invites Z06 buyers to the Performance Build Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky. There, owners don gloves and tools to assemble the 5.5-liter LT6 V8 engine that will power their future car.
Under the guidance of a GM master technician, participants follow the same meticulous procedures as factory workers. This isn't a symbolic handshake—they actually install key components like pistons, valves, and cylinder heads. It’s a slow, precise process that can take a full day or more, but it turns a machine into something much more personal.
Once completed, the engine is fitted with a special plaque that includes the owner's name and the date of assembly. It becomes a permanent part of the vehicle—a small badge of pride and proof that the owner helped bring their supercar to life. For some, this hands-on moment is as thrilling as hearing the LT6 roar for the first time.
The program adds something money usually can't buy: a direct connection to the machine. It bridges the gap between consumer and creator, giving the Corvette experience an even deeper level of meaning.
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