Have you ever wondered what a conversation between whales and humans would be like?
Researchers at the SETI Institute have reported an experiment that may represent the first attempt to speak with humpback whales in their own language.
This first attempt at conversation between whales and humans aimed to explore communication between species.
Researchers hope to better understand how we might one day interact with extraterrestrial intelligence.
The exchange between humpback whales and humans took place in a feeding area off the coast of Alaska.
Dr. Brenda McCowan, an animal behaviorist at UC Davis who worked with the SETI team on this study, said:
“We believe this is the first attempt at communication of this kind between humpback whales and humans using the specific language of this species.” »
“In response to a recorded signal broadcast into the ocean via an underwater loudspeaker, a humpback whale named Twain approached the team’s boat and circled it while interactively responding to the emitted “welcome signal.”
During the 20-minute exchange, Twain responded to each tone call and adjusted his responses by synchronizing the time fluctuations between each signal […]
Similar to studying Antarctica as a proxy for Mars, the Whale-SETI team is studying intelligent systems, both terrestrial and non-human, to develop filters applicable to any extraterrestrial signals received.
To do this, they want to apply the mathematical principles of information theory to assess the communicative complexity of received messages. »
Photo credit: Pixabay
For example, you examine the structure of the rules built into these messages.
In their project, researchers from the SETI Institute, UC Davis and the Alaska Whale Foundation presented their work in the journal PeerJ.
They shared a study titled “Peer J Journal” titled: “Interactive bioacoustic reading as a tool for detecting and exploring non-human intelligence: “Conversation” with an Alaskan humpback whale.” »