Researchers analyzed the codas of approximately 60 sperm whales.
communicate with each other may be more "complex" than scientists previously believed, with new research drawing similarities between the whale species' language and human phonetics., researchers examined a group of sperm whales in the waters surrounding the Caribbean island of Dominica, analyzing their whale calls.
"Sperm whale vocalizations are more expressive and structured than previously believed, and built from a repertoire comprising nearly an order of magnitude more distinguishable codas," the study's authors wrote.
The interacting choruses of codas led researchers to believe the sperm whales were engaging in a dialog that could be comparable to a human conversation or the transmission of Morse Code."Sperm whale vocalizations demonstrate complexity on two different timescales: a fine-grained time scale that determines the makeup of each individual coda, and a longer time scale that determines the overall structure of the interactive exchange across codas within a chorus," the authors wrote.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Scientists are learning the basic building blocks of sperm whale language after years of effortScientists studying the sperm whales that live around the Caribbean island of Dominica have described for the first time the basic elements of how they might be talking to each other, in an effort that could one day help better protect them
Read more »
Scientists are learning the basic building blocks of sperm whale language after years of effortScientists studying the sperm whales that live around the Caribbean island of Dominica have described for the first time the basic elements of how they might be talking to each other, in an effort that could one day help better protect them.
Read more »
Could a newly discovered sperm whale ‘alphabet’ be deciphered by humans?Discovery of potentially complex communication could reveal way to interpret what these marine mammals are saying—but not everyone is convinced
Read more »
Scientists learning basics of sperm whale language after years of effortIt's thought that the effort could one day help better protect them.
Read more »
How scientists are piecing together a sperm whale ‘alphabet’'Little by little, the sperm whales are divulging their secrets of how they're communicating to us,' one expert says.
Read more »
Sperm Whale Communication Is Remarkably Similar to Human Language, Research SuggestsThe latest study is a big step forward in decoding whale linguistics—and machine learning is making it possible.
Read more »