A team from the SETI Institute and UC Davis has made a groundbreaking discovery in humpback whales, documenting for the first time that these intelligent mammals produce large bubble rings during friendly interactions with humans. This behavior, previously unknown to scientists, may represent play or communication, offering insights into nonhuman intelligence and potentially aiding the search for extraterrestrial life.
Researchers believe this complex communication system is unlike anything seen in terrestrial mammals, making it an attractive target for studying nonhuman intelligence. Humpback whales are known for using bubbles to corral prey and create bubble trails, but these new observations show a more advanced form of communication, with the whales producing bubble rings during friendly encounters.
The team’s findings support the independent evolution of curious behavior in humpback whales, suggesting that intelligent life may not be limited to humans. By studying this non-terrestrial intelligence, scientists hope to develop filters that can aid in parsing cosmic signals for signs of extraterrestrial life.
This research contributes to the broader goal of understanding nonhuman intelligence and its potential applications in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). As Dr. Laurance Doyle from the SETI Institute noted, “This important assumption is certainly supported by the independent evolution of curious behavior in humpback whales.” The team’s work may also shed light on the complexities of animal communication and intelligence, challenging our current understanding of these topics.
The study, titled “Humpback Whales Blow Poloidal Vortex Bubble Rings,” was recently published in Marine Mammal Science. The researchers used advanced signal detection technologies to analyze 12 bubble ring-production episodes involving 39 rings made by 11 individual whales.
Source: https://www.seti.org/press-release/whaleseti-curious-humpback-whales-approach-humans-and-blow-bubble-smoke-rings