Why do whales sing?

Name: Why do whales sing?
Uploaded: 2017-09-07T20:44:35Z
Duration: 4 min 58 s
Description: Communicating underwater is challenging. Light and odors don't travel well, but sound moves about four times faster in water than in air — which means marine mammals often use sounds to communicate. The most famous of these underwater vocalizations is undoubtedly the whale song. Stephanie Sardelis decodes the evocative melodies composed by the world's largest mammals.

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Stephanie Sardelis |

TED-Ed

• November 2016

Communicating underwater is challenging. Light and odors don't travel well, but sound moves about four times faster in water than in air — which means marine mammals often use sounds to communicate. The most famous of these underwater vocalizations is undoubtedly the whale song. Stephanie Sardelis decodes the evocative melodies composed by the world's largest mammals.