New York Times Podcasts
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Whales Have an Alphabet
Posted
May 24, 2024
Views
14,723
Likes
204
Comments
15
Engagement
1.49%
May 24, 2024
14,723
204
15
1.49%
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25:19Now PlayingEver since the discovery of whale songs almost 60 years ago, scientists have been trying to decipher the lyrics.
But sperm whales don’t produce the eerie melodies sung by humpback whales, sounds that became a sensation () in the 1960s. Instead, sperm whales rattle off clicks that sound like a cross between Morse code and a creaking door.
Carl Zimmer, a science reporter, explains the possibility why it’s possible that the whales are communicating in a complex language.
GuestCarl Zimmer () , a science reporter for The New York Times who also writes the Origins column () .
Background reading
• Scientists find an “alphabet” in whale songs. ()
• These whales still use their vocal cords. But how? ()
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