Humpback whales can learn new songs from other whales

[aidanjm]

I saw a doco about some new research on humpback whales. Populations of whales at either ends of Australia were found to have quite different songs (different melodies, sounds, etc.) Then, surprisingly, a whale at the eastern end of Australia was observed to be singing the same song as the whales at the Western end of the country. Then, over a period of a year or so, all of the whales at the eastern end of Australia somehow learned the new song, and eventually all of the whales at the eastern end of australia were singing the song that was once only sung by whales at the Western end of the country. The eastern whales had learnt the new song from the western whales. (Presumably a western whale had wandered around to the eastern end of the country, and taught the whales it met the new song). I found this to be quite amazing. This indicates that whales have a type of culture (culture defined as information transferred between animals in a way that doesn't involve genetics). The other animals known to have culture include humans, some primates, and also elephants.

 

[dmcowen674]

They are mammals just like us, they just breathe water instead of air.

But you shouldn't post stuff like this, the Republicans will have "none of that Monkey to Man stuff" and don't believe in Science.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
They are mammals just like us, they just breathe water instead of air.

Let me guess, you went to school in Georgia right?

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
They are mammals just like us, they just breathe water instead of air.

Let me guess, you went to school in Georgia right?

they don't have gills?

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
They are mammals just like us, they just breathe water instead of air.

Let me guess, you went to school in Georgia right?

they don't have gills?

Are you serious?

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
They are mammals just like us, they just breathe water instead of air.

Let me guess, you went to school in Georgia right?

they don't have gills?

Are you serious?

nah. I know they have to come to the surface to breathe air. They also have blow holes.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
They are mammals just like us, they just breathe water instead of air.

Let me guess, you went to school in Georgia right?

Nah, just hadn't had my first cup of coffee yet. Dolphins, same thing.

 

[CaptnKirk]

Let's fund supplying them with 'Ring-Tones' !

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
Let's fund supplying them with 'Ring-Tones' !

noooooo
next we will see whales going badingddingdingdingidingbaaaaaahh

 

[CaptnKirk]

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
Let's fund supplying them with 'Ring-Tones' !

noooooo
next we will see whales going badingddingdingdingidingbaaaaaahh

Humpback Favorites !

 

[Infohawk]

I remember someone the other day suggesting animals don't really have emotions. I said science shows they do. (Not all of them, but many mammals especially.) The fact that they communicate in this way is also important. Who is it important to? People who don't base their ethics on a flawed book, but on reason.

 

[Forsythe]

Originally posted by: Infohawk
I remember someone the other day suggesting animals don't really have emotions. I said science shows they do. (Not all of them, but many mammals especially.) The fact that they communicate in this way is also important. Who is it important to? People who don't base their ethics on a flawed book, but on reason.

Emotions? Elaborate please.

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Forsythe

Originally posted by: Infohawk
I remember someone the other day suggesting animals don't really have emotions. I said science shows they do. (Not all of them, but many mammals especially.) The fact that they communicate in this way is also important. Who is it important to? People who don't base their ethics on a flawed book, but on reason.

Emotions? Elaborate please.

Elephnats mourn when a baby elephant or member of the herd dies. They mope around, make mournful sounds. Sometimes the mother will lie down next to her dead baby, and refuse to eat or drink. That is obviously an expression of the emotion of grief. Emotions are what allows us to function as social animals. Sharks don't need emotions because they exist as solitary predators. Animals like elephants, dolphins, primates, whales have complex social interactions and family relationships, so it's hardly surprising they express emotions like sadness or happiness.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Infohawk
I remember someone the other day suggesting animals don't really have emotions. I said science shows they do. (Not all of them, but many mammals especially.) The fact that they communicate in this way is also important. Who is it important to? People who don't base their ethics on a flawed book, but on reason.

If anybody has had a pet they can tell you animals with enough intelligence have emotions.

One day my cats will be jumpy and others they will be moaping around with a sad look on their face. Unsurprisingly it seems to go with the weather just like it can in humans.

 

[Infohawk]

Originally posted by: Forsythe

Originally posted by: Infohawk
I remember someone the other day suggesting animals don't really have emotions. I said science shows they do. (Not all of them, but many mammals especially.) The fact that they communicate in this way is also important. Who is it important to? People who don't base their ethics on a flawed book, but on reason.

Emotions? Elaborate please.

Elaborate?

Anger, fear, pleasure, pain... They're all chemical reactions. Animals have them too of course. 97% or so of our genes are shared with primates. There's no reason to think they wouldn't have them. They are survival mechanisms developed before we even reached sentience.

 

[ppaik]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
They are mammals just like us, they just breathe water instead of air.

But you shouldn't post stuff like this, the Republicans will have "none of that Monkey to Man stuff" and don't believe in Science.

wow......

 

[sandorski]

Any Westside Whale will tell you that the EastSide Whales are all posers, stealing their sh1t and stuff. EastSide be washed up!!!!!!

 

[Tom]

"Animals like elephants, dolphins, primates, whales have complex social interactions and family relationships"


how does an elephant have a relationship with a whale ?

 

[CaptnKirk]

Originally posted by: Tom
"Animals like elephants, dolphins, primates, whales have complex social interactions and family relationships"


how does an elephant have a relationship with a whale ?

Discretely

 

[zephyrprime]

This is the funniest thread. So many whale jokes. I wonder if whales have humor too?

Anyway,,,it's not so surprising that whales can learn songs in light of the fact that there are many songbirds that can learn songs also and I would contend that whales are a lot smarter than songbirds.

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: Infohawk
I remember someone the other day suggesting animals don't really have emotions. I said science shows they do. (Not all of them, but many mammals especially.) The fact that they communicate in this way is also important. Who is it important to? People who don't base their ethics on a flawed book, but on reason.

So Parrots which are a derivative of Reptiles (in reality avians are the evolved dino's) can learn to speak words, bark, meow and mimic basically any sound they are exposed to does that give them culture? Is it as important as whales being able to learn a song?

Mimicry isn't culture, many species mimic behavior it's called "Monkey see, Monkey do" for a reason.

 

[zendari]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
They are mammals just like us, they just breathe water instead of air.

But you shouldn't post stuff like this, the Republicans will have "none of that Monkey to Man stuff" and don't believe in Science.

water which contains a Hdrogen atom for every two Oxygen atoms.

:thumbsup:

 

[Crimson]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
They are mammals just like us, they just breathe water instead of air.

But you shouldn't post stuff like this, the Republicans will have "none of that Monkey to Man stuff" and don't believe in Science.

Woohoo.. Thank god we have those enlightened Democrats who "believe in science" and think Whales breathe water... BTW, fish don't breathe water either.. They breathe oxygen.. But, I'm just one of those Republicans who don't believe in science..

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Crimson

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
They are mammals just like us, they just breathe water instead of air.

But you shouldn't post stuff like this, the Republicans will have "none of that Monkey to Man stuff" and don't believe in Science.

Woohoo.. Thank god we have those enlightened Democrats who "believe in science" and think Whales breathe water... BTW, fish don't breathe water either.. They breathe oxygen.. But, I'm just one of those Republicans who don't believe in science..

Actually, fish do breathe water, just like we breathe Air and not Oxygen.

If you want the sure thing, stick to the H2O issue like zendari. I'm sure dmcowen will be hearing about that for a long time.

 

[Geekbabe]

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: aidanjm

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
They are mammals just like us, they just breathe water instead of air.

Let me guess, you went to school in Georgia right?

they don't have gills?

Are you serious?

nah. I know they have to come to the surface to breathe air. They also have blow holes.

So do Republicans ;P