Deep-sea ‘hot tubs’ help octopus moms hatch their eggs faster

By CHRISTINA LARSON
AP Science Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new study suggests that deep-sea “hot tubs” may help octopus eggs hatch faster. Octopus usually live solitary lives. So scientists were startled to find thousands of them huddled together at the bottom of the ocean off the coast of California. The researchers say it appears these octopus are taking advantage of heat seeping up from the base of an extinct underwater volcano to accelerate egg-hatching. The researchers found that eggs at this site hatch after about 21 months — far shorter than the four years or more for other deep-sea octopus eggs. The research was published Wednesday in Science Advances.