Why whale song is like pop music | The Royal Society

[@johnwells1015]

There’s something hauntingly beautiful with songs of the humpback whale.

[@royalsociety]

"It would appear that humpback's really like novelty. So they're picking up these novel, new songs. [This] doesn't really happen in any other species, except for our own." What would you ask a humpback whale if you got the chance to communicate? Leave us a comment below. 🐋

[@Crazy_shotz-h2b]

Who is the Micheal Jackson in your species??

[@moonbeamlucas2164]

I would ask a humpback 🐳 whale if they could find it within their heart ♥ to ever forgive us.

[@Crazy_shotz-h2b]

I would ask what the whale thinks about the ocean as a whole and and the interaction between all the different species that exist within

[@lazaraza]

Is there a reason that the song spreads east-ward?

[@irenabartoszko455]

Dear whales, are you coming close to our boats because you want to hear us sing? Can you feel when the songs are sad or happy, calming, uplifting or romantic?

[@jamesdunbar2386]

Makes me think of folk songs through history and what an alien anthropologists might have to say about our singing behaviour. Very cool! "We don't know why they do it." We do it because it bops.

[@iamheartslight]

As to 'why' they sing and also why new and different songs... Sound vibrations are healing... IMO the whales sing to heal the waters (soul) of the Earth... New and different songs are introduced as the healing need changes. It would be amazing to see if there is in fact a correlation between world events and a change in whalesong repertoire... ✨💚

[@KellyRae..]

What a refreshing box to view inside. What a special gift to sit and listen, thanks for sharing with us. Lovethe acoustic whale scale map 🌏🎼❤️🐋

[@spindoctor6385]

The question of "why exactly they sing" seems to me to be unanswerable. We can record the song and observe reactions to it. The question would be equally unanswerable even if asked to a human. There are a multitude of intertwining reasons why any human or group of humans will sing. Edit: I am not trying to crap on the research in any way. I find it fascinating and think the perspective she is taking is excellent. I just do not think that initial question has a specific answer.

[@greentonopah]

Thank you SO MUCH! the best part was learning how researchers can actually NOTE graphically (in writing) the song. The very BEST part was learning about the way the songs are shared in the wide, wide oceans. THANK YOU

[@DiowE]

Very very interesting. A song transmitted across half the globe, wow. Also, i very much like the colour (i don't know the name of that colour though) of Dr. Ellen Garland's sweater. [DiowE]

[@guyh3403]

Thank you very much Dr. Garland! Absolutely amazing.

[@royalsociety]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@stefanwspiegel]

Wonderful research and a wonderful discovery.

[@irenabartoszko455]

I got to this video through Royal Society #12daysofscience. What a fantastic idea. I love science and I love my Catholic faith. They are just like the 2 sides of a coin in understanding our world and human existence. Next year, I will try to post my own lists of 12 Days of Science and 12 Days of Christmas (also a carol 🎶). I find the research on whale singing and creativity absolutely fascinating and this video will surely be shared by me. P.S. 🎄Garlands are used for holiday decorating, what a coincidence, Dr. Garland, whether you are religious, spiritual or just strictly scientific, you are a gift to our world. Thank you.

[@jrisner6535]

Great, concise info - thank you

[@royalsociety]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@simoneavery9040]

Thankyou...now I think I have found my tribe .xx

[@margaretdavis1220]

Marvelous! Thank you.

[@TheEduardoGoes]

It's very interesting...👏👏👏

[@genericfaceless]

Gojira sampled this hit song in their track 'Flying whales'

[@EdwardDoyle199]

My arrangement of a famous recording - I know the original unaccompanied whale song should probably not be disturbed - but harmony points out a few interesting things - that the whale song is in tune to our ears, and there is an amazing major scale at 1 min 50 kzbin.info/www/bejne/kISvdp2Kg5KSmrs

[@mercedesortega4780]

When they learn and, subsequently perform the “new” song, do they abandon the “old” one? Please forgive mistakes the “corrector is a pain!

[@onerenaissance4896]

Can we talk...i hv research on double split experiment...i hv got some interesting fact...

[@philisaakak]

Are we supposed to believe that something as beautiful and majestic as this happened by random blind processes? They’ve now discovered that stars “Sing” and star clusters sound like violins etc. I’m trying to wrap my head around how a king 3000 Years ago wrote about this in Psalm 148 when they didn’t even have running water…..🤔