Sperm Whales Have Something Like Language
Research suggests Sperm Whales use clicking sounds to communicate, and experts are figuring out what they’re saying
The global ocean is an alien world where majestic whales rule — even though they’re mammals like us and breathe air. It also seems whales are likely quite intelligent. The sperm whale has the largest brain on Earth — on land and in the ocean — and while brain size doesn’t necessarily mean high intelligence, sperm whales are highly social and known to display a wide range of complex behaviors during their long lives.
Yet, one aspect of sperm whale behavior has perplexed scientists for years — their communication style, or seemingly lack thereof. But now, through collaboration and technological advancements, experts have figured out a new approach for analyzing sperm whale communication — and the results suggest sperm whales’ complexity may extend even farther than anyone dreamed.
Sperm Whales
To refresh your memory, sperm whales are gray, with giant cubical heads. Their heads contain a waxy substance called spermaceti, which the species is named after and helps them focus on sound. From 1800 to 1987, spermaceti made sperm whales the primary target of the commercial whaling industry, which decimated…
