Sunday Special: Scientists Discover Ancient Kraken-Like Octopus

A terrifying sea monster from Norse legend may have been closer to reality than previously believed. This week’s Science Sunday roundup explores a newly confirmed Kraken-like octopus from the Cretaceous period, alongside major breakthroughs in gene therapy, Mars exploration, and space photography.

1. Ancient Kraken-Like Octopus May Have Dwarfed Today’s Giant Squid

Scientists have confirmed that Nanaimoteuthis haggarti, a finned octopus that prowled the seas between 86 and 72 million years ago, grew up to 61 feet long—larger than a school bus and bigger than any known invertebrate alive today.

The massive creature lived during the Cretaceous period and may reshape our understanding of ancient marine ecosystems. Researchers say the discovery suggests that giant invertebrates once dominated ocean food webs, potentially rivaling large marine reptiles of the era.

2. FDA Clears First Gene Therapy That Restores Hearing

A breakthrough gene therapy called Otarmeni has received FDA approval for treating children born with otoferlin deafness, a rare genetic condition caused by a single faulty gene that prevents the inner ear from transmitting sound signals to the brain.

In clinical trials:

• 80% of treated patients were able to hear without implants.
• Approximately 30% achieved fully normal hearing.

The approval could open the door to treating more than 150 known genetic causes of hearing loss.

3. Strongest Chemical Evidence Yet That Mars Could Have Hosted Life

NASA’s Curiosity rover has identified seven diverse organic compounds in a lakebed rock located in Gale Crater on Mars. Five of these compounds had never previously been detected on the planet.

While the discovery does not confirm that life once existed on Mars, it strengthens the case that the Red Planet once had the necessary chemical ingredients for life. Scientists say returning Martian rock samples to Earth may be the only way to definitively answer the question.

4. Astronauts Capture First-Ever Video of an ‘Earthset’

Artemis II astronaut Reid Wiseman has released the first-ever recorded video of an ‘Earthset’—a phenomenon in which Earth appears to set behind the Moon’s horizon.

The footage shows Earth as a small blue-and-white orb slowly disappearing behind the Moon’s gray surface against the blackness of space. The video has garnered more than 11 million views and is being hailed as a modern sequel to Apollo 8’s iconic 1968 “Earthrise” photograph.