In a remarkable encounter off the coast of Alaska, scientists from Whale-SETI, led by Dr. Brenda McCowan of UC Davis, communicated with a humpback whale named Twain. Using an underwater speaker, the team played recorded whale sounds, and Twain responded by circling their boat for about 20 minutes, matching their calls.
This marks the first known interactive exchange between humans and Humpback whales. The researchers believe studying whale communication may provide insights into searching for intelligent life in space.
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Dr. Fred Sharpe from the Alaska Whale Foundation highlighted the whales’ intelligence and complex behaviors, such as creating bubble nets for fishing and singing songs. The Whale-SETI team plans to investigate other non-sound communication methods, like bubble rings.
The research is supported by the Templeton Foundation and aims to develop tools for understanding signals from both whales and potential extraterrestrial beings. This encounter highlights the importance of studying intelligent life on Earth as we explore the possibility of life beyond our planet.
