3 hours ago
PORTLAND, Maine — Researchers on Cape Cod, Mass., recently uncovered the oldest known recordings of whale sounds, which they believe could advance understanding of how these animals communicate.
The recording captures the song of a humpback whale, a species renowned for its complex vocalizations. Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, Mass., reported that the recording was made in March 1949 off Bermuda.
This recording is significant because it documents whale song during a period when the oceans were much quieter, according to researchers.
It predates the well-known discovery of whale song by scientist Roger Payne by nearly 20 years. At the time, Woods Hole scientists aboard a research vessel were testing sonar systems and conducting acoustic experiments in collaboration with the U.S. Office of Naval Research when they captured the sound.
Although recorded with rudimentary audio equipment, the sounds were preserved on a plastic disc rather than tape, allowing them to endure over time.
More than 90 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises produce sounds. Sound is vital for whale survival and plays a key role in their social interactions and communication. These sounds include clicks, whistles, and calls.
Researchers explain that whale sounds also help the animals find food, navigate, locate each other, and interpret their environment.
Scientists note that some parts of the ocean are now up to ten times louder than they were in the 1960s.
Research from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla during the mid-2000s found that underwater noise off Southern California had increased tenfold compared to the 1960s. Since then, the impact of ocean noise on marine life has been a focus of scientific study.
Scientists hope this discovery will help them understand how increased ocean noise affects whale communication.
The humpback whale is considered one of the most accomplished vocalists in the ocean. These massive animals can weigh more than 55,000 pounds. Over the years, their songs have been recorded for human audiences and are often described as haunting and mournful.
"Songs of the Humpback Whale," an album released by CRM and Capitol Records in 1970, has sold over 100,000 copies. Produced by Roger Payne during the rise of the environmental movement, it remains the best-selling environmental album of all time.
The album also helped ignite a global movement to end commercial whale hunting.
Whittle writes for the Associated Press.
