The Mystery Of The Sea
In the mysterious waters of our oceans lurks a creature so alien, it could be straight out of a sci-fi novel—and it's one you already know…
Which aquatic creature is your guess? Image Credit: Berend de Kort/Pexels
The octopus.
Octopuses are already some of the strangest and most fascinating creatures on the planet, but this fact takes it to a whole new level: When an octopus swims, the heart that pumps blood to the body actually stops beating.
The octopus has three hearts: two serve the gills, and one powers the rest of the body. But the moment it starts swimming, that main heart just… pauses.
Why? Swimming is energetically demanding for octopuses, and the effort actually puts stress on the system. So much so that their circulation temporarily prioritizes survival over movement, making swimming a last resort, not a daily activity. That’s why octopuses prefer to crawl along the seafloor rather than swim. It’s less tiring and keeps all three hearts happily thumping. What’s a fun fact YOU know? Share it with us in the comments or post it in another thread to get featured in one of our newsletters!
