Im confused about this whole tree octopus thing

[L8 2 RISE]

This site http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/ talks about the tree octopus and has some pictures in a gallery about tree octopus sightings, but then theres that blue velvet octopus that looks like a stuffed animal, and some of them look like they were overlayed onto another picture, so is the "tree octopus" for real or what?!?!?! also, in the thread Freshwater squid?, some people said that there are no cephalapods in fresh water

so.......... Whats Up?

 

[tonmo]

There is no such thing, just a clever presentation. We've discussed this here many times previously (I was surprised to see how much!).... Be sure to watch the Forest Kraken video in the first link. That is, if you have nothing better to do (note: checking the air pressure on your tires qualifies as "something better").

http://www.tonmo.com/community/index.php?threads/7417/

http://www.tonmo.com/community/index.php?threads/2158/

http://www.tonmo.com/community/index.php?threads/2004/

http://www.tonmo.com/community/index.php?threads/1522/

http://www.tonmo.com/community/index.php?threads/4624/

http://www.tonmo.com/community/index.php?threads/5759/

http://www.tonmo.com/community/index.php?threads/5462/

 

[Spence24]

lmao tree octopus, man thats the first time I heard that one.

 

[DWhatley]

I found an interesting little article that discusses teaching students to use the internet for research. The gist of the article is that the current standard for gauging if an internet site is valid source does not address the need to know something about the material being presented

21st Century Skills and the Tree Octopus Problem

Here’s where we come smack up against the limits of information literacy skills in the absence of content knowledge. Researchers at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education asked 25 seventh-graders from middle schools across the state to review the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus site, the results were unsurprising:

All 25 students fell for the Internet hoax;
All but one of the 25 rated the site as “very credible;”
Most struggled when asked to produce proof – or even clues – that the web site was false, even after the UConn researchers told them it was; and
Some of the students still insisted vehemently that the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus really exists.

 

[tonmo]

Thanks - I had seen this article when it came out but didn't get the chance to read it. It is an interesting problem.

 

[SabrinaR]

I have the same problems sometimes. It can be hard to verify the information we come across so now basically everything is suspect.

 

[ceph]

Please help me. I'm doing a project on the Pacific Northwest Tree octopuses for my class. I need to have 3 sources but only have one and I can't find it on CephBase. Can you tell me more about this species?
There is no such animal, that is why it is not listed in CephBase. There are about 800 species of cephalopods recognized by scientists - would you like help with one of them?
You lie! You suck!

The site is well done - It was funny. . . the first 5 or so times. . . One would think the link to the Sasquatch liberation army would tip more people off. . .

We play a game with our summer camp kids called "Ocean Liars" club. We tell 4 tall marine animal oriented tales, 3 of which are lies and one of which is true. I'm a terrible liar but I had a WEB PAGE and GRAPHS. Most of the kids, all but one girl and her friend that actually learned about the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus in a class thought I was telling the truth.

So, for the record, unlike the very real and rare Hawaiian Volcano Pygmy Tree Walrus, there is no such thing as a Tree Octopus.

 

[DWhatley]

Now, the question is, how truthful are the email quotes

 

[Grey]

I know this is an old thread, but I still want to chime in. I was watching the discovery channel once and my memory is a bit vague, but I believe it had to do with something about if there were no mammals. Ok these "scientists" came up with this world where these octopus were swinging through trees chirping at each other and they were acting just like primates. The fun thing was though they started going crazy and swinging away the this gigantic octopus with like 100 tentacles was cruising on the forest floor much like one of those huge starfish do devouring everything it could snare with its tentacles. LOL it was knocking down trees and stuff, very trippy!

 

[OB]

FYI