One of the most remarkable feats of biological ‘wizardry’ in the animal kingdom is the ability of some cephalopods (octopuses, squids, and cuttlefish) to rapidly change the color, patterning, and texture of their skin so as to blend in with their background. They accomplish these feats through the linking of neural circuits in the visual system and brain to muscle cells that control the dispersion of pigment in specialized skin cells called chromatophores. But the details of the neural circuitry and the computational processes that control the camouflaging process remain largely unknown. In this episode Columbia University neuroscientist Tessa Montague talks about her research on the neurobiology of camouflage and the many challenges that must be overcome to better understand this remarkable phenomenon.
LINKS
Dr. Montague’s cuttlefish lab webpage: Tessamontague.com
Links to camouflaging cephalopods
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XocHDvHlcJM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojb1pxcSr5E
Articles on the neurobiology of camouflage
https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0960-9822%2823%2901182-X
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959438824000382?via%3Dihub
https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0960-9822%2823%2900757-1
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.