Common octopus off the coast of France in the Mediterranean Sea

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 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 have been hot topics since the documentary 'My Octopus Teacher' came out last year, winning a huge audience and an Oscar. But as awesome as this almost-alien creature is, don't let it hog the limelight: Today also kicks off International Cephalopod Awareness Days, celebrating not only octopuses but also their relatives like squids, cuttlefish, nautiluses, and even mythical monsters like the kraken.