The independent nervous system in an octopus' arm (which continues to operate after an arm has been severed) reminded me of the independent nervous system in the human gut:
"The enteric nervous system has been described as a 'second brain' for several reasons. The enteric nervous system can operate autonomously. It normally communicates with the central nervous system (CNS) through the parasympathetic (e.g., via the vagus nerve) and sympathetic (e.g., via the prevertebral ganglia) nervous systems. However, vertebrate studies show that when the vagus nerve is severed, the enteric nervous system continues to function."[1]
It's remarkable how two nervous systems that evolved separately share this kind of similarity.
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The independent nervous system in an octopus' arm (which continues to operate after an arm has been severed) reminded me of the independent nervous system in the human gut:
"The enteric nervous system has been described as a 'second brain' for several reasons. The enteric nervous system can operate autonomously. It normally communicates with the central nervous system (CNS) through the parasympathetic (e.g., via the vagus nerve) and sympathetic (e.g., via the prevertebral ganglia) nervous systems. However, vertebrate studies show that when the vagus nerve is severed, the enteric nervous system continues to function."[1]
It's remarkable how two nervous systems that evolved separately share this kind of similarity.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enteric_nervous_system#Complex...