Imagine swimming in the ocean and spotting an octopus gliding gracefully through the water. You might admire its color-changing skin or wiggly arms—but have you ever wondered how many hearts it has? Here’s a hint: it’s more than one, and the answer is both fascinating and a little mind-blowing. The Short Answer: An Octopus Has Three Hearts An octopus isn’t just special because of its eight arms—it also has three hearts ! This is one of the most surprising facts about these intelligent sea creatures. Here’s how it works: Two branchial hearts pump blood to the gills to get oxygen. One systemic heart pumps the oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body. Fun twist? When an octopus swims, the main systemic heart actually stops beating . This is one reason octopuses prefer crawling along the ocean floor—it’s less tiring for them. Why Three Hearts Are Better Than One (If You’re an Octopus) Octopuses live in deep and sometimes oxygen-poor waters. Their blood is copper-based, w...