Table of Contents
Scientists have discovered that sperm whales use a complex "morse code" of clicks to communicate, with the rhythm and tempo adding extra layers of complexity to convey meaning. The calls are so rich in information that they are likely to help pods make group decisions and coordinate joint tasks, such as foraging for food and rearing young. The researchers identified 143 regularly used combinations of all the variables that they believe form a 'sperm whale phonetic alphabet'. Scientists believe artificial intelligence will one day help them learn to communicate with the whales in the same way. If successful it would be the first time that humans have spoken with another species.
