Whatcom READS: Amazing Brains of the Octopus

Whatcom READS hosts free community events that reflect themes found in each year’s selected title. This year’s community one-read selection is “Washington Black” by Esi Edugyan.

To explore the theme of illustration and the natural world, Whatcom READS welcomes Dr. David Gire to present “The Smart Skin and Amazing Brains of the Octopus.” The octopus has fascinated investigators since Aristotle (and sparks innovation for Washington Black). New scientific approaches have shed light upon the unique neural architecture that supports the outstanding abilities of this cognitively complex, yet evolutionarily distant form of intelligence.

Join Dr. Gire, whose lab studies octopus species native to the Pacific Northwest, on an exploration of the neuroscience behind how octopuses think and behave.