In a groundbreaking study, scientists have made significant progress in communicating with non-human intelligence. The research was conducted by the University of California, Davis, the SETI Institute (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), and the Alaska Whale Foundation, focusing on the fascinating interaction with a humpback whale.
During the study of humpback whale communication off the coast of Alaska, the team received an underwater “greeting signal” from a humpback whale named Twain. This unexpected interaction sparked their curiosity and prompted further exploration of the potential for two-way communication between humans and whales.
Previous recordings of whale sounds revealed distinct patterns used for intra-species conversations. Drawing from this knowledge, scientists played back the “greeting” communication through an underwater speaker, to which Twain responded with its own greeting. Surprisingly, it approached their boat and circled around it.
The scientists continued playing subsequent signals for Twain, and she responded with a series of “whup/throp” sounds. Over a span of 20 minutes, a total of 38 signals were transmitted to the humpback, to which she responded 36 times. Twain also surfaced and blew air from her blowholes during this time.
Lead author Brenda McCowan stated, “We believe this is the first communicative exchange between humans and humpback whales in the ‘language’ of the whales.” This preliminary study provides valuable insights into the communicative abilities of whales and opens new possibilities for future attempts to communicate with intelligent species.
The scientists suggest that this breakthrough may have implications for communicating with intelligent beings not only on Earth but also beyond. Considering technological limitations, the assumption that extraterrestrial beings may be interested in establishing contact with humans is justified, as demonstrated by the behavior of humpback whales.
This remarkable achievement represents a significant step forward in our understanding of inter-species communication and brings us closer to the possibility of communicating with extraterrestrial life forms.