Octopuses fall for the ‘rubber arm’ illusion, just like us experiment shows octopuses feel body ownership, a trait previously seen only in mammals.
## Turns Out, Octopuses Can Be Tricked Just Like Us!
**They fall for the “rubber arm” illusion, suggesting they understand body ownership.**
Okay, so I stumbled across something *really* cool today and had to share it. It involves octopuses… and rubber arms. Stay with me!
Apparently, scientists did this experiment where they showed octopuses a fake rubber arm while simultaneously touching one of their *real* arms. And guess what? The octopuses started to think the rubber arm was their own!
It’s called the “rubber arm illusion,” and it’s something that humans experience too. Basically, if you see a fake arm being stroked while *your* arm is being stroked, your brain can get tricked into thinking the fake arm is part of you.
**Why is this a big deal?**
Well, the fact that octopuses fall for this illusion suggests they have a sense of “body ownership.” This means they understand where their body begins and ends. Which, believe it or not, is something scientists previously thought only mammals could do!
Think about it. Knowing what is *you* and what is *not you* is pretty important. It allows you to:
* Navigate your environment
* Interact with the world
* Protect yourself from danger
**So what does this all mean?**
Honestly? It just makes me appreciate octopuses even more. They’re already incredibly intelligent and complex creatures. And now we learn they share this fundamental understanding of body ownership with us.
It’s a cool reminder that even though we’re very different species, we can still have surprising things in common. Plus, the idea of an octopus being tricked by a rubber arm is just endlessly entertaining.