What are sperm whales saying? Researchers find a complex 'alphabet'

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the complex communication patterns of sperm whales, which have been studied using machine learning techniques. Researchers have identified a "phonetic alphabet" of sperm whale vocalizations, suggesting their communication may be more nuanced than previously thought.

🙋 Q&A

[01] What are sperm whales saying?

• Sperm whales have a complex communication system, making a variety of clicks and codas (repetitive patterns of clicks) that can be analyzed using machine learning.
• The researchers found that sperm whales have a large repertoire of clicks, which they've catalogued in a "sperm whale phonetic alphabet."
• The whales can slightly vary the tempo, length, and number of clicks in their codas, and these variations can be closely matched between different whales communicating.
• The patterns of clicks appear to be based on the context of the conversation, suggesting sperm whales may have the tools to make different combinations of codas, which is considered an ingredient of language.

[02] How are researchers studying sperm whale communication?

• Researchers have been recording sperm whale conversations for decades, hoping to tease out the patterns in their communication.
• The researchers at MIT and Project CETI used machine learning to analyze over 9,000 recordings of Caribbean sperm whales, which allowed them to detect many more clicks than could be manually segmented from the data.
• The team found that sperm whale communication is not random or simplistic, but rather structured, with the patterns of clicks being predictable in a way similar to the sequence of syllables or words in a human sentence.

[03] What are the challenges in understanding sperm whale communication?

• Determining the meaning behind the different codas or combinations of codas used by sperm whales is a much more difficult task.
• The researchers are gathering more recordings of whales and trying to link them to specific behaviors and actions, but it's challenging to know what contexts are important and what matters to the whales.
• Many of the linguistic ways humans define language may not be applicable to sperm whales, which have been communicating in the oceans for much longer than humans have been speaking.
• The researchers note that just because they don't find evidence of something, it doesn't mean the system isn't complex in ways they don't understand.

[04] Why is understanding sperm whale communication important?

• Sperm whales are still recovering from the impacts of commercial whaling and are facing newer threats like ship strikes and plastic pollution.
• Understanding the similarities and differences between sperm whale and human communication can help people better relate to and empathize with the whales, which can drive changes in human behavior to protect them.
• Finding the fundamental underlying similarities between human and sperm whale communication is important, as it can help people understand the importance of things like grandmothers, good neighbors, and cultural diversity in sperm whale society.