Yes, the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) demonstrates proven cognitive abilities: it opens closed jars to reach prey, chooses and transports shelters (shells, coconuts), and learns by trial and error with a short and long term memory documented in the laboratory. This evidence concerns specific tasks, not “general intelligence” comparable to that of vertebrates.
A distributed nervous system
The octopus has around 500 million neurons, but two-thirds are in the arms and not in the central brain. Each arm thus has a form of sensorimotor autonomy: it can taste, touch and react locally without waiting for an order from the brain, which allows simultaneous exploration of several surfaces or objects.
This organization explains the speed with which the animal manipulates a screwed lid: the suction cups test the texture and grip while the arm adjusts its rotation, a behavior observed repeatedly in experimental conditions and in captivity.
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Learning by trial and error has been demonstrated via visual and tactile discrimination tests: an octopus confronted several times with the same problem (bowl, maze) reduces its solution time, a sign of a functional memory which persists for at least several days.
Measure by tasks, not by single scale
Contrary to popular belief, there is no comparable “intellectual quotient” between octopus, crow or dog: each species is tested on tasks adapted to its ecology. The octopus excels in the manipulation of objects and the use of shelter, skills linked to its solitary life as a benthic hunter, without complex social structure. This specialization invites us to talk about multiple cognitions rather than a linear classification of animal intelligence.
