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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Humpback whales may be trying to communicate with humans
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, BGR may receive an affiliate commission. Humpback whales are some of the most intelligent creatures humans have ever had the chance to observe. However, researchers have encountered a bit of a conundrum with these massive sea-bound creatures. According to studies published in the past few years, humpback whales may be trying to communicate with humans. Previous research into this phenomenon has shown that the potential for humans to talk to these massive mammals exists. An earlier study shows that scientists with the SETI Institute were able to have a 'conversation' with a humpback whale named Twain by playing whale calls through an underwater speaker. Today's Top Deals Best deals: Tech, laptops, TVs, and more sales Best Ring Video Doorbell deals Memorial Day security camera deals: Reolink's unbeatable sale has prices from $29.98 Twain responded to the calls in its own fashion. However, that study didn't look at how these creatures might try to communicate with humans voluntarily, as the communication was always previously engineered by researchers. Now, a new study looks at just how likely it is for humpback whales to try to communicate with humans on their own. The research was led by SETI scientists, and it shows that the whales appear to make large rings of bubbles when having friendly encounters with humans, likely in an attempt to communicate with us somehow. These forms of nonverbal communication are important to study, too, because they could one day be key to helping us talk to another species, if space exploration ever leads to the discovery of new lifeforms beyond those on our own planet. You can see evidence of the SETI team's conversation with Twain in the video embedded above. While it's unlikely anything like AI will help us decode the meaning of these messages anytime soon, researchers will no doubt continue to work on uncovering the meaning behind these attempts to communicate. Whether or not we'll ever actually be able to have a conversation with our dogs, or any other animal, for that matter, is still very unlikely, at least based on the technology we have access to today. But that's the thing about the future. We're constantly developing new technology that could one day unlock these capabilities and let whales communicate with humans more openly. More Top Deals Amazon gift card deals, offers & coupons 2025: Get $2,000+ free See the
BBC News
4 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
Humpback whales may blow bubble rings to say hi to humans
Humpback whales are known for being pretty smart mammals, and researchers have made a discovery that may tell us even more about them. A team of scientists from the SETI Institute and the University of California at Davis have documented humpback whales blowing large bubble rings when interacting with people for the first believe it could be a way in which the whales greet humans, representing either play or communication. Humpback whales blowing bubbles has been seen before, mainly when they're either tracking down their prey or competing for the attention of a female the latest discovery suggests the mammals' bubble rings, which they make by forcing air through their blowholes and mouths, could also be used when it comes to encounters with humans. "We show they are blowing bubble rings in our direction in an apparent attempt to playfully interact, observe our response, and/or engage in some form of communication," said Dr. Fred Sharpe who is a co-lead author on the study which was published in in the journal Marine Mammal part of their research, the team looked at 12 separate instances of bubble production involving 39 rings made by 11 different whales. Out of the twelve episodes reported, ten were collected near a boat or near human swimmers, with eight of the bubble ring blowers actually coming closer. Six of the episodes had more than one whale present and there was no sign of annoyance or aggressive behaviour towards the boats or humans in any of them. "Humpback whales often exhibit inquisitive, friendly behaviour towards boats and human swimmers," said co-lead author Jodi Frediani who is a marine wildlife photographer. "We've now located a dozen whales from populations around the world, the majority of which have voluntarily approached boats and swimmers, blowing bubble rings during these episodes of curious behaviour."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
How humpback whales are playfully communicating with humans, according to scientists
Humpback whales may be communicating with humans in a playful way, according to researchers who have been studying the marine mammals' behavior. Researchers from the SETI Institute, a Silicon Valley-based nonprofit research organization, documented humpback whales producing large bubble rings -- similar to the rings humans can produce while blowing smoke -- during friendly interactions with humans, they noted in a paper published last month in the journal Marine Mammal Science. MORE: 50th anniversary of 'Jaws': How the film impacted public perception of sharks This behavior, while little studied, could represent play or communication, the scientists said. Humpback whales were already known to use bubbles to corral, and males have been observed creating bubble trails or bursts when competing for a female mate, according to the SETI Institute. But new observations that appear to show humpback whales producing bubble rings during friendly encounters with humans contributes to a broader goal of studying non-human intelligence, the scientists said. Studying non-human intelligence can aid in the search for extraterrestrial life, the researchers said. The SETI whale team is aiming to develop filters that aid in parsing cosmic signals for signs of extraterrestrial life by studying intelligent, non-terrestrial -- or aquatic -- nonhuman communication systems, according to the research organization. "Because of current limitations on technology, an important assumption of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is that extraterrestrial intelligence and life will be interested in making contact and so target human receivers," Laurance Doyle, SETI Institute scientist and co-author on the paper, said in a statement. "This important assumption is certainly supported by the independent evolution of curious behavior in humpback whales." Researchers analyzed 12 bubble ring–production episodes involving 39 rings made by 11 individual whales, they said. They determined the whales are blowing bubble rings in the direction of humans in an apparent attempt to playfully interact, observe humans' response and engage in some form of communication, Fred Sharpe, a co-author of the paper, said in a statement. "Humpback whales live in complex societies, are acoustically diverse, use bubble tools and assist other species being harassed by predators," Sharpe, who is a legacy board member of the Alaska Whale Foundation, said. MORE: Scientists discover how whales can sing under water and how shipping noise can disrupt communication Humpback whales often display "inquisitive, friendly behavior" toward boats and humans, according to Jodi Frediani, a marine wildlife photographer and paper co-author. "We've now located a dozen whales from populations around the world, the majority of which have voluntarily approached boats and swimmers blowing bubble rings during these episodes of curious behavior," Frediani said. For decades, scientists have been studying how intelligent marine mammals such as whales and dolphins communicate with each other. In 2021, researchers from the SETI Institute recorded a conversation with a humpback whale named Twain by playing whale calls through an underwater speaker. MORE: Ocean scientists concerned over uptick of whale deaths on Northeast coasts Last year, another group of researchers at the University of Southern Denmark discovered how baleen whales are able to sing underwater. Also in 2024, SETI Institute researchers discovered that whale calls made during bubble feeding events were likely a way for whales to issue instructions to the group.
5 days ago
- Science
How humpback whales are playfully communicating with humans, according to scientists
Humpback whales may be communicating with humans in a playful way, according to researchers who have been studying the marine mammals' behavior. Researchers from the SETI Institute, a Silicon Valley-based nonprofit research organization, documented humpback whales producing large bubble rings -- similar to the rings humans can produce while blowing smoke -- during friendly interactions with humans, they noted in a paper published last month in the journal Marine Mammal Science. This behavior, while little studied, could represent play or communication, the scientists said. Humpback whales were already known to use bubbles to corral, and males have been observed creating bubble trails or bursts when competing for a female mate, according to the SETI Institute. But new observations that appear to show humpback whales producing bubble rings during friendly encounters with humans contributes to a broader goal of studying non-human intelligence, the scientists said. Studying non-human intelligence can aid in the search for extraterrestrial life, the researchers said. The SETI whale team is aiming to develop filters that aid in parsing cosmic signals for signs of extraterrestrial life by studying intelligent, non-terrestrial -- or aquatic -- nonhuman communication systems, according to the research organization. "Because of current limitations on technology, an important assumption of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence is that extraterrestrial intelligence and life will be interested in making contact and so target human receivers," Laurance Doyle, SETI Institute scientist and co-author on the paper, said in a statement. "This important assumption is certainly supported by the independent evolution of curious behavior in humpback whales." Researchers analyzed 12 bubble ring–production episodes involving 39 rings made by 11 individual whales, they said. They determined the whales are blowing bubble rings in the direction of humans in an apparent attempt to playfully interact, observe humans' response and engage in some form of communication, Fred Sharpe, a co-author of the paper, said in a statement. "Humpback whales live in complex societies, are acoustically diverse, use bubble tools and assist other species being harassed by predators," Sharpe, who is a legacy board member of the Alaska Whale Foundation, said. Humpback whales often display "inquisitive, friendly behavior" toward boats and humans, according to Jodi Frediani, a marine wildlife photographer and paper co-author. "We've now located a dozen whales from populations around the world, the majority of which have voluntarily approached boats and swimmers blowing bubble rings during these episodes of curious behavior," Frediani said. For decades, scientists have been studying how intelligent marine mammals such as whales and dolphins communicate with each other. In 2021, researchers from the SETI Institute recorded a conversation with a humpback whale named Twain by playing whale calls through an underwater speaker. Last year, another group of researchers at the University of Southern Denmark discovered how baleen whales are able to sing underwater. Also in 2024, SETI Institute researchers discovered that whale calls made during bubble feeding events were likely a way for whales to issue instructions to the group.
Wales Online
01-06-2025
- Science
- Wales Online
Review: Unistellar Odyssey smart telescope is out of this world
Review: Unistellar Odyssey smart telescope is out of this world It's not perfect but the images it produces in double-quick time are tremendous Bode's Galaxy taken by the Odyssey There's never been a better time to get into astro photography for the enthusiastic amateur thanks to a new generation of smart telescopes that do away with all the painstacking preparation and assumed knowledge that can be a barrier for newbies. One of these hi-tech scopes is the Unistellar Odyssey, which, while not cheap, couldn't make taking amazing images of celestial objects any easier, even from light-polluted urban areas. The Odyssey is a fully automated smart digital reflector telescope equipped with an 85mm aperture and uses Unistellar's proprietary technologies for enhanced viewing. It's not too bulky or heavy so can be used on the go, although you don't get a case included which, considering the price, I thought was a shame. You do get a stand which is absolute top quality, though, even if the way it holds the telescope itself is rather lo-fi and made me slightly nervous. Indeed, a few times after a viewing session I found the scope had come loose and wobbly on top of the stand. Usability couldn't be simpler. Once paired with a phone or tablet through the app, you are away. Simply choose the object (be that galaxy, planet, nebula or star cluster) you want to take an image of and the telescope does the rest. And it's here where the Odyssey shines. I've tried a few smart telescopes over the years but the picture quality blew me away as it came through on my tablet. Not only do they look great, the snapshots only take a few minutes to come through. What would take over an hour using a cheaper telescope as image after image are stacked on top of each other to get a nice picture, the Odyssey delivers better in a fraction of the time. Unistellar Odyssey It's all the more impressive as light pollution is a problem where I live. Indeed, it'll be hard to go back to my other scopes once I return it! As an extra slice of fun, you can also choose to participate in collaborative and citizen science missions with institutions such as NASA and SETI Institute . There is a minus to the fully automatic system for the more experienced astro photographer, which may limit appeal for users who prefer manual adjustments and customisation. However, for a beginner it's tremendous and you'll be sharing images with your friends and family, taking the plaudits for your skill! Unistellar Odyssey I did have a few niggles The telescope uses its own wifi to connect and you can't set it up, say, through your home network. This meant on my tablet I could not be connected to the Odyssey and the internet at the same time. Also, there is no way (as yet) of rebooting the device via the app. A few times when it did crash I had to go outside and switch it off and on again. Sometimes if took a very long time to find the object I wanted to take an image of (although this might be down to the aforementioned light pollution) while the battery life wasn't super great. Charging is only through the wall rather than a charging brick. Another quibble is that you do not get a solar filter included. That will set you back another £200, So the Osyssey is not perfect but for any budding astronomer I wouldn't hesitate in recommending it. Sure, the Odyssey is pricey but in this case you get what you pay for. The (dark) sky's the limit! The Odyssey Smart Telescope is available for 15% off ahead of Father's Day (£1,699) via the Unistella website. What users say "Odyssey is an excellent telescope. It packs amazing technologies, bigger aperture in a portable format. It does very well in many different situations including my apartment balcony. It is the telescope that got me interested back in amateur astronomy." "Ease of use is exemplary. Just plug and play. This telescope does allow deep space as well as plant viewing. I purchased without the eyepiece and have had no need for the added feature. I would recommend saving the added cost." Alternatives Article continues below Celestron 11068 NexStar 6SE Computerised Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope ZWO Seestar S50 Smart Digital Telescope
