Watch a Dead Squid Come Alive and Dance

In one of the creepiest videos to ever emerge involving anything edible, a raw squid boogies after being doused in soy sauce. Before it auditions for the next season of So You Think You Can Dance, Robert Krulwich of NPR's Krulwich Wonders science blog explains why.

The secret is literally in the sauce. Because the squid is freshly deceased, its muscles and nerves are still intact and ready to groove. The saltiness of the soy sauce is key. Here's the technical explanation: "Extra sodium (the salt) sends ions to the cell that trigger the cell to open up, creating a cascade of chemical activities that causes the cell to fire, so the muscle twitches."

Update: Watch an Even More Terrifying Undead Squid Video [-E-]

· Food on a Plate Shouldn't Move [NPR]
· Dancing Squid Original Video [YouTube]