DIY Neuroscience
Greg Gage: How octopuses battle each other
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Them's fighting words if you're an octopus, in that more than one octopus in a space often means a rumble. Our intrepid neuroscientists analyze aggression by observing the fighting behavior of two-spotted octopuses or, if you prefer, octopodes.
Greg Gage - Neuroscientist
TED Fellow Greg Gage helps kids investigate the neuroscience in their own backyards. Full bio
TED Fellow Greg Gage helps kids investigate the neuroscience in their own backyards. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
Greg Gage: El pulpo es un animal
bastante raro en apariencia
bastante raro en apariencia
00:12
Greg Gage: The octopus is
a rather strange-looking animal
a rather strange-looking animal
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00:14
that exhibits amazingly complex behaviors.
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que exhibe comportamientos
extraordinariamente complejos.
extraordinariamente complejos.
00:17
They have the most impressive nervous
system in the entire invertebrate world.
system in the entire invertebrate world.
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Tienen el sistema nervioso
más impresionante
más impresionante
de todo el mundo invertebrado,
00:21
They have about a half a billion neurons
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y unos 500 millones de neuronas
00:23
that are distributed
throughout their body,
throughout their body,
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distribuidas por el cuerpo,
00:25
such that two-thirds of the neurons
are actually in its legs.
are actually in its legs.
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de modo que dos tercios de ellas
se encuentran en las piernas.
se encuentran en las piernas.
00:28
Now mix this in with camouflaging cells,
jet propulsion and a razor-sharp beak,
jet propulsion and a razor-sharp beak,
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Combina esto con células de camuflaje,
propulsión a chorro y un pico afilado,
propulsión a chorro y un pico afilado,
00:33
and you have all the makings
of a formidable predator.
of a formidable predator.
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y tienes todos los elementos
de un predador formidable.
de un predador formidable.
00:36
And then throw in the fact
that the octopus is a solitary creature,
that the octopus is a solitary creature,
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Y luego añade el hecho de que
el pulpo es una criatura solitaria,
el pulpo es una criatura solitaria,
00:39
and suddenly, we have ourselves
a real cephalopod fight.
a real cephalopod fight.
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y de repente, tenemos
una verdadera pelea de cefalópodos.
una verdadera pelea de cefalópodos.
00:43
(Bell)
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(Suena campana de boxeo)
00:44
[DIY Neuroscience]
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[Neurociencia casera]
00:46
We know that almost all animals fight --
for food, for territory, for mates.
for food, for territory, for mates.
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Sabemos que casi todos
los animales pelean...
los animales pelean...
por comida, por territorio,
por una pareja.
por una pareja.
00:51
The octopus is no different,
and knowing their fighting behavior
and knowing their fighting behavior
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El pulpo no es diferente,
y saber de su conducta de pelea
nos podría ayudar a entender mejor
estas criaturas fascinantes
estas criaturas fascinantes
00:54
could help us better understand
these fascinating creatures
these fascinating creatures
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y cómo interactúan.
00:57
and how they interact.
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Mi amigo Ilya está estudiando
la conducta de pelea clásica
la conducta de pelea clásica
00:58
My friend Ilya has been observing
the classic fighting behavior
the classic fighting behavior
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entre los pulpos de dos manchas
de California.
de California.
01:01
between California two-spot octopuses.
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Ilya Chugunov: Mucha gente cree que
la forma plural en inglés es "octopi",
la forma plural en inglés es "octopi",
01:03
Ilya Chugunov: Most people
think that it's "octopi,"
think that it's "octopi,"
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01:05
but that's actually incorrect.
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pero eso es incorrecto.
01:07
The correct plurals
are either "octopuses" or "octopodes"
are either "octopuses" or "octopodes"
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Las formas correctas son "octopuses"
u "octópodos", la forma griega.
u "octópodos", la forma griega.
01:10
if you want to be very Greek about it.
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GG: ¿Cómo haces el experimento?
01:12
GG: So how do you do your experiment?
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IC: Primero, me gusta preparar
el recipiente para tenerlo listo.
el recipiente para tenerlo listo.
01:13
IC: First, I like to set up
the chamber just so it's ready,
the chamber just so it's ready,
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Lleno una jarra de agua
y la aireo agitando la jarra.
y la aireo agitando la jarra.
01:16
so I get a jug of water,
I aerate it by shaking the jug.
I aerate it by shaking the jug.
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Parece que si el agua está bien aireada,
los pulpos están mucho más activos.
los pulpos están mucho más activos.
01:19
It seems that if the water is
well-aerated, they're a lot more active.
well-aerated, they're a lot more active.
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Esto da a los pulpos
espacio para respirar.
espacio para respirar.
01:22
This gives the octopuses
some room to breathe.
some room to breathe.
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Tomo el primer pulpo
01:24
I get the first octopus --
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01:26
Here, buddy. Here, pal.
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--ven para acá, amigo--
01:28
Put it in, set up my GoPro,
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lo meto en el agua, monto mi cámara GoPro,
01:31
put the second octopus in,
cover it up and leave it alone.
cover it up and leave it alone.
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meto el segundo pulpo,
cubro el recipiente y lo dejo.
01:34
(Bell ringing)
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(Suena campana de boxeo)
01:35
Rule 1: There's always
an aggressor.
an aggressor.
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[Regla 1: Siempre hay un agresor]
01:36
There's always one octopus
on defense, one on offense.
on defense, one on offense.
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Siempre hay un pulpo a la defensiva
y uno a la ofensiva.
y uno a la ofensiva.
01:39
Usually the one that's taking up
more space, that's more boastful,
more space, that's more boastful,
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Normalmente, el que ocupa más espacio
y es más fanfarrón
y es más fanfarrón
01:42
definitely the aggressor,
most likely the winner of the fight.
most likely the winner of the fight.
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es definitivamente el agresor
y el más probable de ganar la pelea.
01:46
The loser's pretty obvious.
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El perdedor es bastante obvio.
01:47
They get pushed around,
they curl up, hide in a corner.
they curl up, hide in a corner.
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Es mandoneado, se encoge,
se esconde en el rincón.
se esconde en el rincón.
01:50
A lot of the time,
when there's initial contact,
when there's initial contact,
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Muchas veces, cuando hay contacto inicial,
01:53
if one of them is too much
on the defensive side,
on the defensive side,
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si uno de ellos está
demasiado a la defensiva,
demasiado a la defensiva,
01:57
the second one will sort of poke at it,
grab at its tentacle and see,
grab at its tentacle and see,
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el segundo lo clavará,
intentar agarrar su tentáculo y ver,
intentar agarrar su tentáculo y ver,
02:00
"Hey, do you want to fight me,
do you want to turn around?
do you want to turn around?
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"Oye, ¿quieres pelear conmigo?
¿Quieres darte vuelta?
¿Quieres darte vuelta?
02:03
Do you want to start a wrestling match?"
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¿Quieres luchar cuerpo a cuerpo?"
Entonces, lo clava y se va.
02:05
So it'll just poke and run away.
Come back, poke and run away.
Come back, poke and run away.
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Vuelve, lo clava y se va.
02:09
(Bell ringing)
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(Suena campana de boxeo)
02:10
Rule 2: Avoid eye contact.
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[Regla 2: Evita el contacto visual]
02:13
When the octopuses come
towards each other to begin the fight,
towards each other to begin the fight,
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Cuando los pulpos se acercan
para empezar a pelear,
para empezar a pelear,
02:17
they don't actually face each other.
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no se miran cara a cara.
02:19
They approach sideways.
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Se acercan de costado.
02:21
The defensive octopus
tries to face away from the attacker
tries to face away from the attacker
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El pulpo a la defensiva
intenta no mirar al agresor
intenta no mirar al agresor
02:26
until it's the critical moment
it knows there's no way to avoid a fight.
it knows there's no way to avoid a fight.
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hasta el punto crucial cuando sabe
que es imposible evitar una pelea.
que es imposible evitar una pelea.
GG: ¿Sí? ¿El que espera hasta
el último minuto está a la defensiva?
el último minuto está a la defensiva?
02:30
GG: Really, the one who's waiting
to the last moment
to the last moment
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02:33
is the defensive octopus.
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IC: Sí.
02:34
(Bell ringing)
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(Suena campana de boxeo)
02:35
Rule 3: Flash your colors.
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[Regla 3: Muestra tus colores]
02:37
The aggressor in a fight will quickly
and sharply flash bright black on his arms
and sharply flash bright black on his arms
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El agresor en una pelea
mostrará rápido y claramente
mostrará rápido y claramente
un negro vívido en los brazos
02:45
when he's about to initiate a fight.
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cuando está a punto de iniciar la pelea.
02:48
(Bell ringing)
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(Suena campana de boxeo)
GG: Oh, ya vemos...
02:49
GG: Ooh, and already --
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02:51
IC: We're seeing some action.
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IC: Estamos viendo acción.
02:53
Looks like they've spotted each other.
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Parece que se han visto.
GG: Sí. Ahora va a venir...
se le está acercando, pero no directamente.
se le está acercando, pero no directamente.
02:55
GG: Right. So now he's going to come --
He's approaching, but not directly at him.
He's approaching, but not directly at him.
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02:59
IC: Yeah, they're like
almost completely antiparallel.
almost completely antiparallel.
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IC: Sí, están casi completamente...
anti paralelos.
03:04
GG: And then right there --
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GG: Y luego... ahora.
03:06
IC: Yeah. They contact,
and then their arms clash together.
and then their arms clash together.
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IC: Sí, hacen contacto
y luego sus brazos colisionan.
y luego sus brazos colisionan.
03:10
(String music)
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(Música de cuerdas)
03:20
GG: So we've taken the first steps
in understanding fighting in the octopus.
in understanding fighting in the octopus.
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GG: Hemos tomado los primeros pasos
para entender el combate del pulpo.
para entender el combate del pulpo.
Quizás te estés preguntando,
"Pero ¿por qué importa esto?"
"Pero ¿por qué importa esto?"
03:23
And you might be asking yourself:
Why does this even matter?
Why does this even matter?
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Bueno, estos tipos de preguntas
de investigación basadas en la curiosidad
de investigación basadas en la curiosidad
03:26
Well, these types of curiosity-based
research questions can often lead
research questions can often lead
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muchas veces conducen a ideas
y descubrimientos inesperados.
y descubrimientos inesperados.
03:29
to some unexpected
insights and discoveries.
insights and discoveries.
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Hemos aprendido mucho de nosotros mismos
estudiando los animales marinos.
estudiando los animales marinos.
03:32
We've learned a lot about ourselves
from studying marine animals.
from studying marine animals.
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03:35
Squid have taught us
about how our neurons communicate,
about how our neurons communicate,
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El calamar nos enseñó sobre
cómo se comunican nuestras neuronas;
cómo se comunican nuestras neuronas;
03:38
and the horseshoe crab
has taught us about how our eyes work.
has taught us about how our eyes work.
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el cangrejo herradura, sobre
cómo funcionan nuestros ojos.
cómo funcionan nuestros ojos.
03:41
So it's not too far of a stretch to say
that some of these behaviors
that some of these behaviors
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Entonces no es una exageración decir
que algunos de los comportamientos
que algunos de los comportamientos
03:44
that we're seeing in the California
two-spot octopus are similar to ours.
two-spot octopus are similar to ours.
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que vemos en los pulpos de dos manchas
de California
de California
son similares a los nuestros.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Greg Gage - NeuroscientistTED Fellow Greg Gage helps kids investigate the neuroscience in their own backyards.
Why you should listen
As half of Backyard Brains, neuroscientist and engineer Greg Gage builds the SpikerBox -- a small rig that helps kids understand the electrical impulses that control the nervous system. He's passionate about helping students understand (viscerally) how our brains and our neurons work, because, as he said onstage at TED2012, we still know very little about how the brain works -- and we need to start inspiring kids early to want to know more.
Before becoming a neuroscientist, Gage worked as an electrical engineer making touchscreens. As he told the Huffington Post: "Scientific equipment in general is pretty expensive, but it's silly because before [getting my PhD in neuroscience] I was an electrical engineer, and you could see that you could make it yourself. So we started as a way to have fun, to show off to our colleagues, but we were also going into classrooms around that time and we thought, wouldn't it be cool if you could bring these gadgets with us so the stuff we were doing in advanced Ph.D. programs in neuroscience, you could also do in fifth grade?" His latest pieces of gear: the Roboroach, a cockroach fitted with an electric backpack that makes it turn on command, and BYB SmartScope, a smartphone-powered microscope.
Greg Gage | Speaker | TED.com