For decades, researchers believed that whales communicated using a sort of underwater Morse code—simple, repeated patterns of clicks. But recent advances in technology have revealed a much more complex, even human-like language. Now, with artificial intelligence, scientists are getting closer than ever to translating their vocalizations. UC Berkeley’s Gašper Beguš is one such researcher building advanced AI to learn and decipher sperm whale communication. But what happens when we crack the code? What might whales tell us—and what would be the practical, ethical, and legal implications of what we learn?
Further reading:
- Berkeley News - “UC Berkeley and Project CETI study shows sperm whales communicate in ways similar to humans”
- National Geographic - “Whales could one day be heard in court—and in their own words”
National Geographic - “What are animals saying? AI may help decode their languages” - Legal Paper - “What if We Understood What Animals Are Saying?: The Legal Impact of AI-Assisted Studies of Animal Communication”
- NYU More-Than-Human Rights report - “Listening to Our Animal Kin: Legal and Ethical Principles for Nonhuman Animal Communication Technologies”
This episode was written and hosted by Leah Worthington and Nat Alcantara and produced by Coby McDonald.
Special thanks to Gašper Beguš, Pat Joseph, and Laura Smith. Art by Michiko Toki and original music by Mogli Maureal. Additional music from Blue Dot Sessions.