Octopus Shows Self-Awareness While Being Tricked by the ‘Rubber Hand Illusion’ Using a Fake Tentacle

Researchers Sumire Kawashima and Yuzuru Ikeda at The University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan, found that octopuses are able to perceive self-awareness, specifically the ownership of arms. This was demonstrated when the cephalopod fell for a simple yet famous trick that’s been used on humans. This is known as the “rubber hand illusion” test, or in this case, a rubber tentacle.

This study examined, by use of a rubber hand illusion test, whether the octopuses perceive body ownership of their arms. The results demonstrated that octopuses felt the fake arm as their own arm, similar to humans. This fact tentatively suggests the existence of body ownership in octopus.

New Scientist reporters explain why this experiment is both amusing and groundbreaking.