Scientists gave octopuses ecstasy and it revealed a secret genetic link to humans

News.com.au ^ | Sept 21, 2018 | Nick Whigham

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SCIENTISTS gave the popular party drug MDMA to a group of octopuses and the results were “completely unexpected” and reveal a hidden link to humans

SCIENTISTS have discovered what happens when you give the party drug MDMA to an octopus, and say the animals surprising reaction has “amazing” implications.

A team of researchers in the US decided to give a group of octopuses MDMA, often referred to as ecstasy or Molly to see how it would alter their behaviour.

After being dosed, the sea creatures become much more social, friendly and interested in others.

It made the animals — normally anti-social creatures — want to gather together, hug, and touch each other in a curious fashion.

Remarkably, they exhibited much the same behaviour as humans do when taking the drug that produces feeling of euphoria and a desire for social connection. And that’s the surprising part.

As the researchers pointed out, human and octopus lineages are separated by over 500 million years of evolution and show divergent anatomical patterns of brain organisation. In terms of our nervous system, we could hardly be more different.

The purpose of the study was for scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts to work out if octopuses and humans shared any genetic links.

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I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden in the shade
He'd let us in, knows where we've been
In his octopus's garden in the shade

I'd ask my friends to come and see
An octopus's garden with me
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden in the shade

We would be warm below the storm
In our little hideaway beneath the waves
Resting our head on the sea bed
In an octopus's garden near a cave

We would sing and dance around
Because we know we can't be found
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden in the shade

We would shout and swim about
The coral that lies beneath the waves
(Lies beneath the ocean waves)
Oh what joy for every girl and boy
Knowing they're happy and they're safe
(Happy and they're safe)

We would be so happy you and me
No one there to tell us what to do
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden with you
In an octopus's garden with you
In an octopus's garden with you

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"It made the animals — normally anti-social creatures — want to gather together, hug, and touch each other in a curious fashion."

[Red Badger]

Octopus’s Garden
The Beatles
Produced by George Martin
Album Abbey Road

[Chorus]
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’s garden in the shade

[Verse 1]
He’d let us in, knows where we’ve been
In his octopus’s garden in the shade
I’d ask my friends to come and see
An octopus’s garden with me

[Chorus]
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’s garden in the shade

[Verse 2]
We would be warm below the storm
In our little hide-a-way beneath the waves
Resting our head on the sea bed
In an octopus’s garden near a cave
We would sing and dance around
Because we know we can’t be found

[Chorus]
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’s garden in the shade

[Verse 3]
We would shout and swim about
The coral that lies beneath the waves
Oh what joy for every girl and boy
Knowing they’re happy and they’re safe
We would be so happy, you and me
No-one there to tell us what to do

[Chorus]
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’s garden in the shade
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’s garden with you

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[No-Sparkle Pony]

DJ OCTO was there spinning EDM

[fruser1]

I wonder how much of the dope the “scientists” kept for themselves.

If you throw an octupus in a fire, it’ll burn to death, much like a human.

[chajin]

Isn’t the plural “octopi”?

[Anima Mundi]

Seems like an octopus group hug would be entangling.

[DBrow]

That explains some of those Japanese videos...

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"It made the animals — normally anti-social creatures — want to gather together, hug, and touch each other in a curious fashion."

[Cold Heart]

I think two of them would be sedecim

[Red Badger]

Did it even exist back then?..................

[Del Rapier]

?

[Paladin2]

Sea searchers [ gotta love today’s simpole spel chec] just looking for free drugs for themselves under the cover of Science.

[Red Badger]

Octopi are highly intelligent animals.

There was a case here a few years back in the paper where a guy had one in his aquarium at home.

He, the man, would arrange the items in the aquarium a certain way and go to bed.

When he got up the next morning, the octopus had rearranged the items to its liking.

He did this several times, making different locations for the items each time, and the next morning they would be right back where the octopus wanted them.

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[lee martell]

That seems like a careless experiment to be conducted in open waters. The animals could have had a toxic reaction. It is interesting that they relax and socialize after taking the drug, but that is against their natural behavior.

If one alters their natural or instinctive nature, other factors are going to be affected too.
Patterns of finding or sharing food. Patterns of changing color as a method of camouflage. Mating and aggression patterns would likely be effected if the experiment last a long time.

[Telepathic Intruder]

I’ve never wondered what an octopus on ecstasy does. What will they think of next?