The female deep-sea octopus (Graneledone boreopacifica) has demonstrated one of the most astonishing examples of maternal devotion ever recorded in nature. In a remarkable observation by researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), a single mother was seen guarding her eggs continuously for 53 months — that’s over four years — without leaving to feed even once. Throughout this time, she remained attached to her clutch in the cold, dark depths of the ocean, gently cleani