Researchers Communicate with Humpback Whale to Practice Conversing with Aliens
A team of scientists had a remarkable encounter with a humpback whale named “Twain” during their study of whale communication. The team aims to apply their findings to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, utilizing the study of non-human communication systems.
By Richard Cole · December 18, 2023
Researchers from the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI) recently had a 20-minute conversation with a humpback whale off the coast of Alaska. This groundbreaking interaction, facilitated with the assistance of a group of whale researchers, sheds light on the potential for interspecies communication and has significant implications for our understanding of both Earth’s creatures and potential extraterrestrial life.
The SETI Institute, traditionally focused on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, redirected their attention to the study of the humpback whale in an effort to gain insights into interspecies communication. Driven by the idea that understanding communication with earthly creatures could inform future attempts at contacting alien life, the researchers embarked on a mission to engage with humpback whales in their natural habitat.
The encounter with the humpback whale, named Twain, was initiated by playing a “contact call” from an underwater speaker. To the researchers’ astonishment, Twain, a well-known female humpback, responded to the call by approaching the vessel and exhibiting behavior that suggested active engagement with the communication attempt. Over the course of 20 minutes, Twain consistently responded to the signals, demonstrating an ability to match the interval variations between each call.
Dr. Brenda McCowan of the University of California, Davis, expressed her excitement about the exchange, stating, “We believe this is the first such communicative exchange between humans and humpback whales in the humpback ‘language.’” Despite the inability to decipher the exact content of the interaction due to the language barrier, the researchers were thrilled by the success of their experiment.
The research team’s analysis of the exchange revealed three distinct phases of interaction: Engagement, Agitation, and Disengagement. This finding provides valuable insights into the nature of the communication process between humans and humpback whales, paving the way for further studies in interspecies communication.
Humpback whales are extremely intelligent,have complex social systems, make tools - nets out of bubbles to catch fish - and communicate extensively with both songs and social calls,”
The exceptional intelligence and complex social structures of humpback whales make them an ideal candidate for studying communication and teamwork, according to the SETI team. Dr. Laurance Doyle of the SETI Institute emphasized the significance of the humpback whale’s behavior, stating, “Because of current limitations on technology, an important assumption of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is that extraterrestrials will be interested in making contact and so target human receivers. This important assumption is certainly supported by the behavior of humpback whales.”
As the research continues to unfold, the implications of this extraordinary encounter are poised to shape the future of both terrestrial and cosmic communication endeavors.