Illustration: Zara Le Cornu (@zlc_art)
Are octopuses aliens?
Sci-fi lovers aren’t alien to the idea that octopuses have been suspected to have extraterrestrial origins. Their genomes are absurdly complex, boasting around 33,000 protein-coding genes – in comparison to humankind’s 20,000. Whilst bigger doesn’t always mean better, this genetic overload supports a whole whirlpool of octopus weirdness. With a highly developed nervous system, autonomous limbs with their own brains, and skin that can change colour and texture with eerie precision, there’s no wonder people have questioned whether this species really originated on earth.
Whilst many vertebrates have protocadherins – essentially the wiring instructions for building a complex brain – octopuses seem to have evolved these independently. The expanded set of genes is relied on for learning and remembering things, and supports sophisticated behaviours such as tool use, problem solving and neural plasticity – the ability to change brain structure based on experience. Just when you think it can’t get any stranger, octopuses have an RNA editing trick – instead of waiting for slow changes in DNA over generations, octopuses can rewrite their RNA on the fly, adapting their nervous systems to different environments and fine-tuning brain function in real time.
Polar Bear Immigration
As of 2025, the global polar bear population is estimated to be approximately 26,000, spread across a variety of countries.
Of these, the ones in Alaska are likely to disappear first, due to rapid sea ice loss causing population declines. Average numbers for this country weigh in at around 5,500 – if they all had to pack their bags and migrate to Durrell Zoo, how big would their enclosure have to be?
Housing this number of polar bears requires slightly more than a few extra enclosures and a giant freezer – it’s likely we’d need an entire Arctic city. The species are inherently solitary and territorial, with wild polar bears laying claim to a range of 19 to 500,000 square kilometres. In captivity, the ethical(-ish) minimum sits at around 1,000 square metres per bear – multiply that by 5,500 and you’re looking at a chilly compound covering 5.5 square kilometres, about the size of Gibraltar.
To put it in local terms, thats 4.5% of Jersey’s landmass, and 39 times bigger than Durrell Zoo itself. In fact, the polar bear zone would sprawl beyond the zoo gates and take up about half of Trinity. You’d also need to keep this entire area cold all year round, demanding industrial-scale refrigeration 24/7. This would absorb around 40 megawatts continuously – enough to power around 35,000 homes.
ChatGPT vs Stanley Cups
It’s no secret that ChatGPT guzzles a lot of water. Running large AI models such as this one dumps gallons every second, with the data centres that keep it alive needing constant cooling. According to a 2023 study, ChatGPT goes through a standard 500ml water bottle every 10-50 prompts, depending on factors such as location and infrastructure. If we split the difference, this averages out at 500ml per 30 prompts.
Multiply that by the rough public estimate that ChatGPT handles 100 million prompts per day, and you’re looking at a total of around 1.67 million litres every twenty-four hours. To measure this out into something more relatable, the standard Stanley cup has the capacity to hold about 1.18 litres. That means ChatGPT beats even the most devout of TikTok water girls, effectively refilling its Stanley around 1.4 million times a day.
