AI helps humans have a 20-minute 'conversation' with a humpback whale named Twain

In a remarkable encounter off the coast of Alaska, human scientists had what they describe as a “conversation” with a humpback whale named Twain. Dr. Brenda McCowan from the University of California Davis was at the heart of this unexpected exchange.

Dr. McCowan and her team, known as Whale-SETI, have been studying how humpback whales communicate. They’re aiming to understand whale communication systems to help in the search for life beyond Earth.

Whale responds to a human greeting

Using an underwater speaker, the team played a recorded humpback “contact” call into the ocean. To their astonishment, Twain approached their boat and began responding.

For about 20 minutes, the whale circled them, matching the intervals between each call they played.

“We believe this is the first such communicative exchange between humans and humpback whales in the humpback ‘language,'” said Dr. McCowan.

The researchers were thrilled to see such direct interaction using the whale’s own signals.

Science behind the encounter

The Whale-SETI team is working on developing filters to detect intelligent signals, which could be used in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

By studying how whales communicate, they hope to find patterns that could apply to signals from outer space.

Dr. Fred Sharpe from the Alaska Whale Foundation emphasized just how intelligent humpback whales are. He pointed out their complex social systems and unique behaviors.

“They create tools such as nets made of bubbles to catch fish and extensively communicate through songs and social calls,” Dr. Sharpe explained.

Humans, whales and extraterrestrial life

The behavior they observed in Twain supports an important idea in the search for life beyond Earth.

“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,” noted Dr. Laurance Doyle of the SETI Institute.

“This important assumption is certainly supported by the behavior of humpback whales.”

By engaging with whales, the team believes they can learn how to detect and understand intelligent signals, whether they come from the depths of the ocean or the far reaches of space.

The details of this extraordinary encounter are published in the journal Peer J, in an article titled “Interactive Bioacoustic Playback as a Tool for Detecting and Exploring Nonhuman Intelligence: ‘Conversing’ with an Alaskan Humpback Whale.”

The researchers plan to use mathematics and various forms of artificial intelligence (AI), specifically information theory and machine learning, to measure how complex the whale’s communication is. They want to understand the rules and structures in the messages they receive.

Humans and whales talking — what’s next?

The Whale-SETI team isn’t stopping there. They’re preparing another paper focusing on the non-audio ways humpback whales might communicate, like the bubble rings they make around humans.

Co-authors Dr. Josie Hubbard, Lisa Walker, and Jodi Frediani bring expertise in animal intelligence, whale song analysis, and whale behavior to the project.

The team acknowledges the financial support from the Templeton Foundation Diverse Intelligences Program, which helped make their research possible.

What Is Whale-SETI?

Whale-SETI, short for Whale Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, is a unique project that combines marine biology with the quest to find life beyond Earth.

The researchers are trying to decode whale communication, working under the idea that these sounds might contain complex messages similar to human languages — or even those of extraterrestrial beings.

Using advanced technology like sophisticated underwater microphones and artificial intelligence, they record and analyze whale sounds.

The AI looks for patterns that might indicate language-like structures. This not only helps us understand whales better but also could improve how we search for intelligent life elsewhere.

Why humans should care about humpback whales

Humpback whales are fascinating creatures. They can grow up to 60 feet long and weigh as much as 40 tons.

Known scientifically as Megaptera novaeangliae, these whales are easily recognized by their long pectoral fins and knobbly heads.

They travel great distances, migrating up to 5,000 miles between feeding and breeding grounds.

Their songs are complex and melodious, playing a crucial role in how they interact socially, especially during breeding season.

Once hunted nearly to extinction, humpback whale populations have been recovering thanks to international protections.

However, they still face threats like getting caught in fishing gear, collisions with ships, and changes to their environment caused by climate change.

Understanding their communication and social structures can help in conservation efforts, ensuring these majestic creatures continue to thrive in our oceans.

SETI Institute’s role

The SETI Institute, founded in 1984, is dedicated to exploring life beyond Earth.

By studying signals from space and understanding how life might arise elsewhere, they aim to answer the profound question: Are we alone in the universe?

Their work with Whale-SETI is an exciting intersection of this quest and the study of intelligent life on our own planet.

What does it all mean?

To sum it all up, this encounter with Twain isn’t just a fascinating story about humans and a whale. It’s a step toward understanding intelligence in all its forms.

By learning how to communicate with humpback whales, scientists hope to develop tools that could one day help us recognize and understand messages from extraterrestrial beings.

What does this mean for us? It highlights the importance of looking closely at the intelligent life we share our planet with. Perhaps by understanding the minds of whales, we can better prepare ourselves for encounters with life beyond Earth.

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The group behind this research includes scientists from the SETI Institute, UC Davis, and the Alaska Whale Foundation.

The full study was published in the journal PeerJ.

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