Whale culture: Hal Whitehead at TEDxHalifax

[@cdnerin]

How is it that some of the most amazing talks ever given at TED have hardly any views??! This was awesome!

[@gabrielburris3935]

I'm gonna answer your question. Because it's not marketable to actually help people with non sugary information but practical info. Hes also not the most socially adept guy despite his appreciation of culture. Hope that helps. Tldr: Its academic not social which is what hes talking about social systems are structurally more important than strictly academic systems for humans.

[@moremerry57]

@@gabrielburris3935, there is nothing lacking in his social skills: he was struggling with the tel-a-prompter, to the extent that it appeared the operator was lagging rather than leading him. It’s not a good sign of social skill to be condescending of another when one doesn’t understand a situation.

[@zorro2757]

I think deep and important things seem to be boring to many people who are busy to run though life, insted of enjoying it.

[@TaranJHook]

It's wild how far we've come in researching this topic. Here he is in 2012 saying whales and dolphins don't have a syntaxial language but just recently a paper was released saying that syntax was detected in bottlenose dolphin clicks. Researchers are starting to pick up these patterns with more time in the water and better technology.

[@kelly-charmainemarieflanag1098]

I'd like to add my own quote from Hitchhiker's guide to the Universe: "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

[@GiffysChannel]

I guess I'm a whale nut too. I'm watching every video about whales on youtube.

[@subg8858]

He is making whale communication sound much simpler than it is. A single click contains tens of thousands of data points. One short sequence of clicks is therefore transferring more data than a human can transmit via speech in an hour of speaking.

[@nonegone7170]

Possibly, however our speech also contains many data points in a similar manner, if looked upon from the outside. The patterns are the part that matter most.

[@richardhelliwell1210]

Cultures die, but evolution goes on.

[@ykim8545]

Awesome speech, very interesting and impressive talk!

[@elkimmyy]

Super interesting!

[@whaleharmony5984]

Amazing information thanks a lot

[@Tfreezy259]

That Canadian metaphor was great haha

[@joannawie]

Great !!! Thanks !!

[@boba1mighty]

James May is that you?!

[@richiehoyt8487]

"We might get our politics from our professors"... Jeez, perish the thought!!

[@robkeyesplease]

Oakham head

[@cmonhitme419]

great speaker- whales

[@eschwarz1003]

the world, the environment relies on whales and their poo among other things.

[@catherineclinton911]

Orcas are the apex predators of the ocean.

[@billymeadows328]

He got a lot of hair if I had hair like that I would have to cut it off because I am Claustrophobic

[@strawhatstoof785]

What's worse? This guys hair or his last name?

[@ApolonsApolons]

7.20

[@ΑικαΠαπα]

Coda clicks sound like Morse code!

[@musicbox2466]

I think all creatures have culture and a unique language system.

[@CleverClover2023]

Those species with high intelligence and the ability to be self aware makes them able to have cultures. Primates (humans), elephants and cetaceans are those beings that are self aware, have distinct dialects that vary between families and are highly intelligent. Being able to understand 'self' and have diverse marine cultures is what sets whales and dolphins apart from other animals. Other animal species simply dont have this ability or society specific behaviors. A Robin will speak the same language as other robins and they have the same instinct based behaviors. The same goes for a pet dog. They speak a universal body language, have basic instincts and (even though some breeds are smart) they are not self aware. This goes for many many other species.

[@subg8858]

Dogs are obviously self aware

[@subg8858]

The mirror test proves self awareness, but that doesn't necessarily mean that those that don't pass it are not self aware

[@danielacosta7717]

Don’t get your ideas about politics from your professors

[@subg8858]

Any idea is considered on its own merit regardless of the source. Anything else is irrational.

[@dr.doodledorf426]

I like to believe whales are psychic

[@archangecamilien1879]

Haha...12:07 I can never get over how he said "diversity"..."cultural diversity", haha...a tongue slip...