Also, many scientists believe that intelligent beings are
social, learn from others, and need a long lifespan to accrue
brainpower. Octopuses live only about a year and are solitary
animals. "It's enjoyable to speculate that nature doesn't always
follow our rules [when] it decides to create an intelligent
being," Linden said. The University of Lethbridge's Mather
suggests octopuses may have evolved braininess to cope with a
highly complex environment—usually coral reefs—where they must
make lightning-fast, life-or-death decisions. For example, the
animals are extremely flexible, able to fit their boneless
bodies through tiny cracks. Some species can change color in a
thirtieth of a second. As for the crafty cephalopod in Santa
Monica, aquarium staffers have rigged her tank with clamps and
tape to thwart future getaways, the Los Angeles Times reported.
But, as Mather pointed out, there "isn't an awful lot [that
will] stop them." SOURCES AND RELATED WEB SITES