Ancient Reshuffling of Octopus Genome May Explain Eight-Armed Intellect, Vienna Study Suggests

VIENNA, AUSTRIA — Scientists at the University of Vienna have put forward a new account of how the octopus came by its remarkable mind, pointing to an ancient rearrangement in the way its genetic material is folded inside the cell. The study, according to The Debrief, appeared in Nature Communications on October 9, 2026.

The researchers examined the genomes of coleoid cephalopods, a group that takes in octopuses, squid and cuttlefish. These animals, the report notes, possess large and elaborate nervous systems with highly distributed neural networks, and octopuses in particular have shown notable problem-solving ability and a talent for rapid camouflage.

The team's analysis holds that hundreds of millions of years ago the cephalopod genome underwent a relatively rapid period of extensive reshuffling, bringing regions of DNA that had been far apart into closer contact. Once neighbours, such regions can influence one another, potentially forming new links in the genome's regulatory networks. The researchers call this process regulatory entanglement.

Not all parts of the genome's architecture responded alike, the study reports. Small structures known as chromatin loops were particularly affected, while larger chromatin domains stayed comparatively stable. Many of the new interactions involved regions associated with the development and operation of the central nervous system, and effects varied by species, tissue and developmental stage.

"The genome isn't just a sequence of genes. It's folded into a complex three-dimensional structure," said lead author Dr Thea Rogers. The researchers suggest that this folding may actively shape how genes interact, and may have contributed to the sophisticated nervous systems of the octopus and its relatives. The findings are presented as a possible explanation, not a settled one.