What if sea creatures led the next breakthrough in materials science?

by Ian Evans

The ocean is home to some of the most remarkable creatures in existence. From flexible tentacles to dazzling displays of camouflage, the adaptations found in the sea – and in cephalopods in particular – have spurred Nobel-prize winning research and inspired generations of researchers to rethink the boundaries between research areas.

These amazing beings provide a powerful reminder of the way innovative, cross-disciplinary thinking can advance outcomes for all.

An invitation to inspiration

Consider an octopus slipping seamlessly into the contours of a rocky seabed. Its camouflage adjusts in real time to its environment, an awe-inspiring evolutionary adaptation. For materials scientist Prof. Alon Gorodetsky, University of California, Irvine, this natural phenomenon was an invitation to explore how cephalopod skin could inform human innovations. He explained,

“I walked into a seminar by a colleague named Roger Hanlon, and he was showing a video on what these animals can do – the way they camouflage by changing shape and color. I was astonished. I dropped half my research program and transitioned half my group to working on cephalopod inspired materials.”

Alon’s research team has used insights drawn from squid skin to engineer mammalian cells that mimic cephalopod camouflage. The study, published in the Elsevier open access journal iScience, demonstrates the potential to embed squid-derived proteins called reflectins into human cell structures. By introducing a chemical stimulus, cells can control their light-scattering properties, offering future applications such as enhancing the clarity and precision of medical imaging techniques, and in biomedicine, where these materials could be used as molecular probes or in advanced diagnostic tools. Such breakthroughs reside at the intersection of molecular biology, synthetic materials, and even computational modelling.

As Alon explained, cephalopods occupy a special role as catalysts for crossing boundaries in science, which is why Alon – along with co-editor Robyn Crook of San Francisco State University – put them at the centre of a special issue issue of iScience, titled 'Cephalopods: Inspired science'.

“Cephalopods are unparalleled models because their biology touches so many scientific domains. From the neurophysiology behind their camouflage to the physical properties of their skin, these animals offer inspiration for both exploring fundamental processes and engineering exciting technologies,” he explained.

“They were at the heart of Hodgkin and Huxley’s Nobel-Prize winning breakthroughs understanding action potentials in neurons, with their research on squid giant axons transforming neuroscience.”

Elsewhere, their neurology, their flexible arms and dexterous movement have driven progress in disciplines as diverse as, optics, robotics, and materials science.

Thanks for the (false) memories

Another study in the special issue involves cuttlefish and their ability to form false memories. Researchers explored how these animals remember past events and whether their memories, like ours, can be influenced by misleading information.

Thanks for the (false) memories

Another study in the special issue involves cuttlefish and their ability to form false memories. Researchers explored how these animals remember past events and whether their memories, like ours, can be influenced by misleading information.

The experiment involved presenting cuttlefish with tubes containing shrimp (their favourite snack) crabs, or nothing at all, and then introducing misleading cues to see if their recollection of the shrimp’s location could be altered.

When exposed to misleading visual cues, the cuttlefish sometimes “remembered” shrimp in an empty tube, demonstrating that their episodic-like memory—recalling what happened, where, and when—is not just a simple playback but a reconstructive process. However, when both visual and olfactory cues were used, the cuttlefish were less likely to be misled, suggesting that their sense of smell might help anchor their memories more firmly. It’s a study that highlights the cognitive sophistication of cuttlefish and opens new questions about how memory works across species.

This research showcases the breakthroughs the importance of breaking out of silos, Alon said:

“What you see in these papers are the kind of conceptual leaps that characterize interdisciplinary science.”

As research tool Scopus AI shows, that interdisciplinary approach is leading to discoveries that can improve outcomes in a surprising number of fields:

Scopus AI says

ScopusAI draws on over 27,000 academic journals, from more than 7,000 publishers worldwide, with over 1.8 billion citations to get fast and accurate summaries. Here’s how it addressed some of the topics in this article.

Key Findings of Interdisciplinary Research on Cephalopods

Interdisciplinary research on cephalopods has led to several key findings and has contributed significantly to our understanding of these fascinating creatures.

Recent advances in culture and experimental techniques have sparked a surge of interest in cephalopods as comparative models in neuroscience, cognition, behavior, and ecology.

Breakthroughs in funding, modern techniques, and facilities have broadened the field of cephalopod research, attracting researchers from other models and allowing established labs to collaborate more widely.

Cephalopods play an important role as keystone invertebrates in marine ecosystems and are a valuable fisheries resource, leading to discussions on challenges and future research directions in cephalopod research.

The inclusion of “live cephalopods” in the EU Directive on the “Protection of Animals used for Scientific Purposes” has significant implications for neuroscience research, requiring projects to justify and adhere to ethical guidelines.

Recent progress in genomics has accelerated the pace of cephalopod research, transitioning traditional areas focusing on evolution, development, behavior, and neurobiology to molecular approaches.

Technological advancements in sequencing, imaging, and genetic manipulation have opened new avenues for exploring the biology of cephalopods, leading to the consolidation of efforts and collaboration in this rapidly evolving field.

Why interdisciplinarity matters more than ever – and how journals can help

Those interdisciplinary efforts have never been more relevant. As Maria Mytiliniou, Scientific Editor of iScience explained, many of the most important scientific questions exist at the borders of disciplines.

“Interdisciplinarity has always been important, but matters now more than ever” she said. “The challenges that we face – from climate change to public health, to food safety - require diverse scientific expertise to spark solutions. Part of our goal was to celebrate that interdisciplinary collaboration and inspire others.”

That, Maria argues, also underscores the responsibility of journals to facilitate, promote, and advocate for interdisciplinary research. When a researcher is seeking articles outside their realm of expertise, they need to be confident in the content. “That’s why at iScience we have a big editorial team and advisory board with diverse expertise,” Maria said. “We need to cover the different areas of expertise, and find the right reviewers and editors to curate, connect and promote relevant research. She continued,

“Interdisciplinary work requires more than just enthusiasm; it needs systemic support.” Journals can bring together studies that help researchers find common ground. Special issues, thematic clusters, and open-access models all make new findings accessible and foster meaningful dialogue across disciplines."

The significance of interdisciplinary research has gained international recognition. Publication data from Scopus show strong overall growth in research output, with China and the United States leading in scientific publications by volume (NSF Science and Engineering Indicators 2022; Scimago Journal & Country Rank).

While verifiable, field-specific data on interdisciplinary output by country are inconsistent, the trend toward collaborative and cross-disciplinary science is widely recognized (NSF; ScienceDirect)

Mixing it up: embracing interdisciplinary research

The practice of interdisciplinary science also requires teamwork and curiosity. Alon emphasized the need for humility when stepping into new fields:

“You’re not just an expert coming to impose knowledge. You’re there to learn and contribute equally,” he explained.

He also encouraged researchers to cultivate a pioneering spirit, being open to risk and willing to learn new things.

“That could mean attending seminars outside your specialty, forging partnerships across departments, and staying curious about how seemingly unrelated phenomena might intersect.”

In a world where the next big idea could come from the most unexpected connection, and as cephalopods have demonstrated, adaptability can be a researcher’s greatest asset.