Scientists Practice Alien Communication by Talking to Whales

If we rely on movies, encounters with aliens often spell trouble for humanity. In an effort to avoid a potentially colossal cosmic blunder, scientists are honing their skills by attempting to communicate with whales in their language. Based on preliminary outcomes, it might be advisable to enhance security measures around iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the White House.

Interactions among humans who speak different languages can be challenging, even when we share the same biological communication mechanisms. If we encounter extraterrestrial life, not only could they have their own language, but they might also employ entirely distinct modes of communication. For instance, their form of communication could involve breakdancing banter or convey a comprehensive range of emotions through the volume, frequency, tone, smell, flavor, and density of emitted gas.

SETI Scientists Explore Communication with Earth’s Intelligent Life

How can we prepare for potentially the most significant encounter in human history? Scientists at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute are taking a step closer to home, exploring communication with the intelligent life already present on our planet.

Whales serve as an excellent starting point due to their high intelligence and intricate social communication systems, which could potentially be deciphered through context. An added benefit is that any potential offense might result in a few more yachts being affected rather than world landmarks.

In August 2021, a collaborative team from SETI, UC Davis, and the Alaska Whale Foundation embarked on an attempt to communicate with “non-human intelligence.” They recorded calls from a pod of whales and broadcast a “whup/throp” (a type of greeting call) through an underwater speaker the following day to see if there would be a response.

Remarkably, there was. A 38-year-old female humpback whale named Twain approached the boat, engaging in what the researchers describe as a casual conversation over 20 minutes. The interaction was deemed communicative as the team played back the recorded call at various intervals, and Twain responded with the same rhythm.

Dr. Brenda McCowan, the lead author of the study, stated, “We believe this is the first such communicative exchange between humans and humpback whales in the humpback ‘language.'”

Limitations and Phases of Whale Communication Experiment

While the conversation may not have been particularly riveting, it was limited by having only one call available, and the team could only modify when it was played, lacking control over tone, pitch, or other factors. The interaction with the humpback whale, Twain, progressed through three phases: Engagement, marked by quick and enthusiastic responses; Agitation, characterized by frequent surface breaches and wheezy blows expressing excitement or frustration; and finally, Disengagement, as Twain swam away, presumably seeking a more engaging conversation.

Despite initial limitations, the team suggests that experiments like this contribute to understanding how to communicate with aliens. They propose future tests to be more interactive, allowing for changes in the sounds broadcast in response to the animals’ calls. By incorporating such interactivity, scientists could develop filters to apply to potential extraterrestrial signals, using information theory mathematics to identify rule structures that aid in message translation.

With the assistance of whales, it is hoped that our first encounters with extraterrestrial life could resemble the thoughtful communication depicted in “Arrival” rather than the chaotic scenarios of “Mars Attacks.”

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