The Octopus Scientists (Scientists in the Field Series)

With three hearts and blue blood, its gelatinous body unconstrained by jointed limbs or gravity, the octopus seems to be an alien, an inhabitant of another world. It’s baggy, boneless body sprouts eight arms covered with thousands of suckers—suckers that can taste as well as feel. The octopus also has the powers of a superhero: it can shape-shift, change color, squirt ink, pour itself through the tiniest of openings, or jet away through the sea faster than a swimmer can follow.

Join a real-life octopus team on a mission to understand one of the ocean’s strangest minds and discover:

• Animal Intelligence: How an animal with three hearts, blue blood, and no bones developed a mind smart enough to solve puzzles and show a unique personality.
• Scientists in the Field: Follow a team of researchers in Moorea as they track, test, and try to understand these amazing animals in their natural habitat.
• Masters of Disguise: Uncover the secrets of skin that can change color, shape, and texture in less than a second for the ultimate deep-sea camouflage.
• Ocean Exploration: Dive into the vibrant world of coral reefs, the rainforests of the sea, and meet the incredible creatures who call them home.

Researching her films, articles, and more than forty books, Sy Montgomery has trekked into the cloud forest of Papua, New Guinea, cage-dived off Mexico with great white sharks, and scuba-dived off two continents to commune with wild octopuses. A National Book Award finalist, her work has been honored with a Sibert Medal, a Cook Prize Gold Medal, two Science Book and Film prizes from the National Association for the Advancement of Science, four honorary degrees, and many other awards. She lives in Hancock, New Hampshire. Visit her online at symontgomery.com.

Keith Ellenbogen is an award-winning underwater photographer with an emphasis on environmental conservation. His images have been published worldwide in newspapers, magazines, and books as well as on TV. He is a Senior Fellow with The International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP), a Fellow with the Explorers Club, and an Assistant Professor of Photography at the Fashion Institute of Technology / SUNY.