This unassuming octopus pairs bacterial chemistry with evolutionary efficiency to deliver one of the most powerful defenses in all of the ocean.

The blue ring octopus is a small animal with a lethal secret. Though small, this poisonous creature carries a powerful toxin that can kill a human being within minutes. What is even more frightening ...

Octopuses have gotten a reputation for being cunning camouflagers and intelligent creatures. But some are known for a more ominous reason: They're deadly. One group — the blue-ringed octopus (genus ...

Among the ocean's most dangerous creatures, size isn't everything; in fact, some of the smallest marine animals are among the ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. Go diving into the intertidal waters of the Great Barrier ...

When they're alarmed, blue-lined octopuses display iridescent blue rings on their arms to ward off approaching predators. Totti via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 4.0 Animals have evolved many ...

Octopuses already exist in a strange corner of the animal world, with soft bodies, problem-solving brains, and the ability to change color in a blink. Even within that group, a handful of species push ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. This unassuming octopus pairs bacterial chemistry with evolutionary efficiency to deliver one of the most powerful defenses in all ...