A new study reveals the step-by-step process some octopuses use to cram themselves into tight openings. The findings could inspire new designs for soft robots used during search-and-rescue missions

November 10, 2026 4:17 p.m.

Common octopuses use a three-step or four-step process to get through a small hole, depending on the size of the opening, according to researchers. Beckmannjan via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 3.0

Octopuses are talented escape artists, capable of squeezing their bodies through seemingly impenetrable gaps to avoid danger, find hidden prey or break out of captivity . Scientists have long wondered how these eight-limbed creatures manage such impressive feats of flexibility. Now, they say they have some answers.

A study published November 5 in the Journal of Experimental Biology describes the step-by-step processes some octopuses use to cram themselves into tight spaces.…