Common octopus in sea grass off the coast of France in the Gulf of Lion in the Mediterranean Sea

© BIOSPHOTO/Alam

An uncommonly cool critter

An octopus's life depends on camouflage, so don't tell this one it's sticking out like a sore tentacle. Or maybe this master of disguise is just posing for the camera on purpose. Either way, we're glad to have spotted it just in time for World Octopus Day!

The intelligence and beauty of the common octopus has been a hot topic since the documentary 'My Octopus Teacher' won a huge audience and an Oscar last year. But as awesome as this almost-alien creature is, don't let it hog the limelight: Today also kicks off World Cephalopod Week, celebrating not only octopuses but their relatives like squids, cuttlefish, nautiluses, and even mythical monsters like the kraken.