The sperm whale 'phonetic alphabet' revealed by AI

Researchers have been delving into the communication methods of sperm whales and have discovered that their way of talking might be more sophisticated than previously thought, possibly even resembling human language. Sperm whales are enormous marine creatures that dive to great depths to hunt for squid. Despite their slow swimming speed, they manage to catch these fast-moving prey, which has puzzled scientists for a long time. Sperm whales can dive over 3 kilometers deep and stay underwater for extended periods. They communicate with each other constantly, even when they are far apart and deep underwater. When they surface, they rest and interact with each other, but scientists have limited opportunities to observe this behavior because the whales spend most of their time in the depths. The evolution of sperm whales spans 47 million years, making it challenging for humans to fully grasp their way of life. David Gruber, a leading researcher, points out that it's easier to understand aspects of their lives that overlap with ours, such as eating and sleeping. However, understanding the unique aspects of their existence is much more complex. The Dominica Sperm Whale Project has been studying these whales for nearly two decades. They have discovered that sperm whales have a highly intricate system of communication using sounds known as codas. Initially, it was believed that there were only 21 types of codas, but recent research has identified 156 distinct types. These codas are akin to a 'sperm whale phonetic alphabet,' similar to how humans use phonemes to form words. Each coda consists of a series of clicks, ranging from three to 40 in number. The whales vary the speed and pattern of these clicks, adding layers of complexity to their communication. This is comparable to how humans use intonation and emphasis to convey different meanings. The researchers believe that sperm whales use these codas in a combinatorial fashion, much like how humans combine phonemes to create words and sentences. This suggests that sperm whales might have a highly advanced form of communication. However, more research is needed to fully understand this. Artificial intelligence is playing a crucial role in analyzing the vast amounts of data collected from whale vocalizations. Some experts remain skeptical about the potential to fully decode whale language, but Kirsten Young, another researcher, views this as a significant step forward. She believes that understanding sperm whale communication could lead to better protection measures for these creatures. Sperm whales are still recovering from the impact of commercial whaling in the 19th and 20th centuries. They now face new threats such as pollution. By understanding their communication, we might be able to devise better strategies to protect them.