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The Daily - Whales Have an Alphabet

Ever 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.

Whales Have an Alphabet

From the New York Times, I'm Michael Bobaro. This is the Daily.

Today, ever since the discovery that whales produce songs, scientists have been trying to find

After 60 years, they may have finally done it.

I have to say after many years of working with you on everything from the pandemic to CRISPR,

that it turns out your interests are even more varied

than I had thought, and they include Wales.

They do indeed. And why? What is it about the whale

that captures your imagination? I don't think I've ever met anybody who is not

fascinated by whales. I mean these are mammals like us and

they're swimming around in the water. They have brains that are much bigger than ours. They can live maybe 200 years.

These are incredible animals and animals that we still don't really

Right, well it is this majestic creature that brings us together today, Carl,

because you have been reporting on a big breakthrough in our understanding of how it is that Wales communicate.

But I think in order for that breakthrough to make sense, I think we're going to have to start with what we have known up until

now about how whales interact. So tell us about that.

Well, people knew that whales and dolphins traveled together in groups,

but up until the 1960s, we didn't really know that whales actually made any sounds at all. It was actually sort of an accident that we came across it.

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0:00.0	From the New York Times, I'm Michael Bobaro. This is the Daily.
0:09.0	Today, ever since the discovery that whales produce songs, scientists have been trying to find
0:18.9	a way to decipher their lyrics.
0:23.0	After 60 years, they may have finally done it.
0:29.0	My colleague, Carl Zimmer, explains.
0:45.6	It's Friday, May 24th. Hi Carl. Hello.
0:46.6	I have to say after many years of working with you on everything from the pandemic to CRISPR,
0:55.0	CRISPR, DNA technology,
0:56.6	that it turns out your interests are even more varied
0:59.7	than I had thought, and they include Wales.
1:02.4	They do indeed. And why? What is it about the whale
1:06.8	that captures your imagination? I don't think I've ever met anybody who is not
1:11.7	fascinated by whales. I mean these are mammals like us and
1:17.2	they're swimming around in the water. They have brains that are much bigger than ours. They can live maybe 200 years.
1:27.6	These are incredible animals and animals that we still don't really
1:32.1	understand.
1:33.0	Right, well it is this majestic creature that brings us together today, Carl,
1:38.0	because you have been reporting on a big breakthrough in our understanding of how it is that Wales communicate.
1:48.0	But I think in order for that breakthrough to make sense, I think we're going to have to start with what we have known up until
1:56.3	now about how whales interact. So tell us about that.
2:02.0	Well, people knew that whales and dolphins traveled together in groups,
2:08.0	but up until the 1960s, we didn't really know that whales actually made any sounds at all. It was actually sort of an accident that we came across it.
	...

Whales Have an Alphabet

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