A Hidden Civilization Beneath the Waves: Octopuses Found Living in Complex Societies

A Civilization Underwater: Octopuses Are Changing Everything We Thought We Knew

In the cool, shadowy depths off the coast of Australia, marine researchers have stumbled upon something astonishing — and it may completely change how we understand intelligence, behavior, and even the very concept of civilization itself. Contrary to long-standing beliefs, octopuses may not be the solitary, anti-social creatures science once assumed. Instead, they appear to be forming structured, cooperative communities, possibly even proto-societies.

The discovery began in 2012 when scientists first located what appeared to be a gathering of octopuses living unusually close together. The site, playfully dubbed “Octopolis”, showed signs of structure: a seabed littered with scallop shells, rocks, and debris forming a kind of underwater complex. What was originally thought to be a quirk of habitat preference has, over time, been revealed as something much deeper — both literally and figuratively.

More recently, in 2024, marine biologists returned to the area with improved submersible cameras and monitoring technology. What they found was even more surprising: another nearby site, “Octlantis”, exhibiting similar features — and more than 20 octopuses interacting in ways that defied conventional wisdom.

Social Behavior Among Supposed Loners

Traditionally, octopuses have been labeled as introverted, solitary hunters. Their intelligence has never been in question — these animals can open jars, escape enclosures, and display remarkable problem-solving skills. But social behavior? That wasn’t part of the equation.

That is, until now.

Video recordings from these underwater settlements show octopuses behaving in startlingly human-like ways. They arrange stones and shells to create walls and enclosures. They use found objects — including discarded human debris — to build shelter or shields. Some even seem to coordinate with others to chase off predators. There are signs of territorial disputes, strategic theft of resources, and, astonishingly, gestures that suggest cooperative play or communication.

Even without vocal cords or social traditions like mammals, the octopuses seem to have found their own rhythm. They flash signals through rapid color changes in their skin, a known method of communication for cephalopods. These signals can be warnings, mating cues, or perhaps even expressions of status and intent.

Rethinking Intelligence and Culture in the Animal Kingdom

This behavior has led some scientists to tiptoe around a question once considered outlandish: Could octopuses have culture?

“Culture” is a term typically reserved for species that pass down learned behavior across generations — especially behaviors that are not purely instinctual. Think chimpanzees using sticks to fish for termites or dolphins developing unique hunting techniques passed from mother to calf.

In the case of Octopolis and Octlantis, researchers are seeing signs of something similar. The octopuses aren’t just adapting — they’re modifying their environment, cooperating with others, and repeating behaviors that appear to go beyond basic survival. If such behaviors are repeated and shared, we may be witnessing the emergence of a form of cultural evolution in a species that, until recently, we didn’t think was even capable of complex social interaction.

Even more intriguing: the materials used in building these “homes” often include human trash, such as beer bottles and bits of metal. It’s a hauntingly poetic image — an ancient, alien intelligence repurposing the discarded relics of our own civilization to build its own.

High-Tech Eyes on the Seafloor

To better understand what’s happening, scientists have begun deploying AI-powered submersibles to monitor these settlements over time. These high-tech tools can detect patterns, interactions, and behaviors in ways that human divers simply cannot. The goal is to observe whether these octopus societies exhibit signs of long-term memory, teaching, or social bonds — all key indicators of complex intelligence.

Some researchers are even speculating that these octopuses could be at the early stages of something akin to civilization. They don’t have language or institutions, of course, but they do show an awareness of territory, they use tools, and they seem to cooperate for mutual benefit.

What This Means for Humanity

Discovering intelligent behavior in an animal so evolutionarily distant from us forces us to reevaluate the uniqueness of human civilization. Octopuses diverged from our evolutionary path hundreds of millions of years ago, yet seem to have found their own strange road to community, cooperation, and even creativity.

This revelation expands the boundaries of what intelligence can look like. It suggests that social complexity and innovation are not the exclusive domain of mammals or birds. Instead, the oceans — mysterious and largely unexplored — may be home to entirely different versions of what we might one day call civilization.

For now, the octopuses of Octopolis and Octlantis continue their silent, tentacled lives — building, signaling, defending, and perhaps even learning. As researchers look on with awe and curiosity, one thing is becoming clear: the ocean still holds secrets that could change everything we thought we knew about life on Earth.

Source:
https://nypost.com/2024/07/20/news/a-giant-octopus-civilization-may-have-emerged-undersea/