Call me on the Whalephone
Human culture is built on our ability to communicate with each other; the languages we share shape our ability to interact and create. We aren't the only species with verbal communication, but we are the only one with language... or so we might think.
An initiative known as Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) is seeking to challenge this idea. Founded in 2017, a team of international scientists had the idea to attempt to analyze and eventually understand the calls of sperm whales.
The sperm whale was chosen for a variety of factors. A large brain, distinct calls, and reliance on acoustic communication over long distances are all major components to their lifestyle. Most importantly, their use of clicks rather than continuous songs makes it far easier to replicate. The team is plan is to catalog the behavior, vocabulary, and grammar of the animals and one day even speak back to them. Check out the full story here!
An initiative known as Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) is seeking to challenge this idea. Founded in 2017, a team of international scientists had the idea to attempt to analyze and eventually understand the calls of sperm whales.
The sperm whale was chosen for a variety of factors. A large brain, distinct calls, and reliance on acoustic communication over long distances are all major components to their lifestyle. Most importantly, their use of clicks rather than continuous songs makes it far easier to replicate. The team is plan is to catalog the behavior, vocabulary, and grammar of the animals and one day even speak back to them. Check out the full story here!
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