ROSEAU, Dominica (AP) — Scientists studying the sperm whales that live around the Caribbean island of Dominica have described for the first time the basic elements of how they might be talking to each other, in an effort that could one day help better protect them.
Like many whales and dolphins, sperm whales are highly social mammals and communicate by squeezing air through their respiratory systems to make strings of rapid clicks that can sound like an extremely loud zipper underwater. The clicks are also used as a form of echolocation to help them track their prey.
Scientists have been trying for decades to understand what those clicks might mean, with only minimal progress. While they still don’t know, they now think there are sets of clicks they believe make up a “phonetic alphabet” that the whales can use to build the very rough equivalent of what people think of as words and phrases.
From flooding in Brazil and Houston to brutal heat in Asia, extreme weather seems nearly everywhere
Loosening building products red tape 'good first step'
DAN WOOTTON: Has Meghan swerved the Coronation because she can't stand the thought of being booed?
Afghan migrant on terror watch list spent a YEAR in the U.S. after he was released by Border Patrol
Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh step in for cancer
Khloe Kardashian seen for the first time since OJ Simpson's death
Stormy Daniels admits she hates Trump: Porn star reads his posts calling her 'horseface' in court
US seeks information from Tesla on how it developed and verified whether Autopilot recall worked
Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan seeking to have one another testify at upcoming divorce hearing