Do octopus brains work like humans’ — or is there another way to be smart?

Like us and our big-brained vertebrate relations, cuttlefish, squid and octopuses have excellent memories, use tools and are adept problem-solvers; they have a concept of time and are capable of delayed gratification. But they are not like us. “It’s hard to convey how different [the cephalopod brain] is,” says neuroscientist Cristopher Niell. “We just have no idea of how it functions.” Figuring it out could help us to understand where intelligence comes from. But working with a soft, flexible and wily creature — for which we have few ways to relieve pain — is a challenge for neuroscientists.