Educator Guide: Deep-sea ‘Octomoms’ Seek the Heat

underwater photo of an octopus garden on the sea floor

Some deep-sea octopuses lay their eggs in the warmer water of geothermal springs in the “Octopus Garden” (shown) off California’s coast, speeding up embryonic development.

Ocean Exploration Trust, NOAA

About this guide

In this guide, students will answer questions about how scientists discovered that octopuses laying eggs in warm waters near geothermal springs are speeding up hatching. Students will then define rates and their units of measurement for biological and chemical processes and discuss factors that affect rates.

This Guide Includes:

Octopus moms seek the heat

Students will answer questions about the Science News article “Some deep-sea octopuses aren’t the long-haul moms scientists thought they were,” which describes how octopuses laying eggs in warm waters near geothermal springs speed up hatching. A version of the article, “Deep-sea ‘octomoms’ seek the heat,” appears in the April 9, 2022 issue of Science News.