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8 October: what is celebrated today
8 October is a date that celebrates three very different but equally fascinating worlds: the enigmatic underwater universe of the octopus, the creative mind that struggles with rebellious letters on International Dyslexia Day, and the science that allows us to walk with health and balance on International Podiatry Day. One day to honour natural intelligence, human resilience and care for our bodies.
International Octopus Day
Every 8 October, the planet pays tribute to one of the ocean's most surprising beings: the octopus, a creature that defies the laws of biology and imagination.
The commemoration was established by the TONMO forum (The Octopus News Magazine Online), with the purpose of recognising these invertebrates that have survived for more than 296 million years.
The octopus is a jewel of the sea: it has three hearts, blue blood and intelligence so advanced that it has inspired films, legends and even theories about life beyond Earth. It also has more than 500 million neurons distributed between its brain and tentacles, enabling it to solve problems, camouflage itself and learn by observing.
During this week, other cephalopods are also celebrated —such as squid, cuttlefish and the mythical kraken—, creatures that remind us how much mystery remains hidden in the depths.
International Dyslexia Day
On that same day, the world turns its gaze towards firm ground and the power of learning.
International Dyslexia Day seeks to make visible the millions of people who learn differently, showing that differences are not barriers but doors to new ways of understanding the world. Dyslexia affects around 10% of the world's population, according to the WHO, and has a neurobiological origin. It manifests mainly in difficulties with reading, writing and understanding texts, but is unrelated to intelligence: indeed, many geniuses in history —such as Leonardo da Vinci or Agatha Christie— were dyslexic.
This date, recognised by the European Dyslexia Association, is an invitation to build more inclusive education systems and celebrate the diversity of human minds.
International Podiatry Day
Finally, 8 October is also International Podiatry Day, a medical discipline that literally keeps us on our feet.
Created in 2018 by the International Federation of Podiatrists (IFP), this day promotes awareness of foot health, essential for our mobility and general wellbeing.
Podiatrists not only treat common ailments such as bunions, plantar fasciitis or athlete's foot, but also prevent problems associated with diseases such as diabetes. Thanks to them, walking ceases to be an unconscious act and becomes an expression of health and freedom.
Thus, 8 October invites us to look in three directions: towards the depths of the sea, towards the interior of the mind and towards the ground beneath our feet. Three different dimensions of life that, in one way or another, teach us to move —with curiosity, empathy and balance— through this shared planet.