Top Shot – A humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) dives into the waters of the Pacific Ocean on Contadora Island, Panama, on September 24, 2023. Humpback whales migrate from the Antarctic Peninsula to Panama’s Pacific coast each year to give birth and raise their young. (Photo by Luis Acosta/AFP) (Photo by Luis Acosta/AFP via Getty Images)
(NewsNation) — Scientists 20 minute conversation They believe that communicating with humpback whales could help prepare for communication with extraterrestrial life.
researcher The Search for Extraterrestrial Life (SETI) Institute used recordings of humpback whale calls to initiate conversations when a research vessel encountered a pod of humpback whales.
This sound, known as a “whup,” is likely used by whales to feed socially or by mother whales to locate their calves. Whups are also used as greetings.
As scientists played a recording of the crash, a 38-year-old humpback whale known as Twain approached the ship. She kindly agreed to be recorded.
researcher changed the interval between calls And Mr. Twain said he seems to be responding to change in that way. After they stopped playing the recording, Twain reportedly screamed several times and then swam away.
So how does talking to humpback whales help us potentially communicate with aliens?
One of the big assumptions about extraterrestrial intelligence is that they are just as interested in talking to us as we are to talking to them. .
If extraterrestrial life exists, it’s a possibility. intercept the signal Sent from Earth when NASA communicates with spacecraft heading to the far reaches of space. NASA also strives to disseminate information about humanity, including: golden record Voyager 1 and 2 contain samples of music, sounds, images, and greetings intended to introduce life on Earth.
If aliens can intercept our signals, they could also be sending out their own broadcasts in hopes of reaching us. But if you don’t know what you’re looking for, there’s a good chance those signals will be missed.
SETI team I hope for research Research on whale communications will help design filters that can separate intelligent signals from signals from whales. Other miscellaneous data and signalssomething that exists in the universe.
In addition to whales, the researchers hope to test communication methods in other intelligent creatures like dolphins, highly social animals like meerkats and elephants, and carnivores that hunt cooperatively. thinking.
So what did Twain say during his long exchange with the research vessel?
Scientists haven’t figured it out yet.
