Successful interaction with humpback whale paves the way for extraterrestrial contact

While Hollywood often portrays aliens conversing in human languages, scientists recognize the implausibility of extraterrestrials speaking English. Seeking alternative communication strategies, researchers are turning to their successful dialogue with Twain in southeast Alaska back in 2021.

During this unique encounter, Twain, the humpback whale, engaged in a remarkable 20-minute conversation with scientists after responding to a ‘contact call’ played into the ocean. Much like humans saying ‘hello,’ whales employ contact calls to signal their presence to others.

Twain approached the researchers’ boat, circling it while responding to the contact calls emitted 36 times at varying intervals. Two years later, the SETI Institute has published a paper examining how this extraordinary interaction could serve as a tool for detecting and exploring nonhuman intelligence.

Lead author Dr. Brenda McCowan of U.C. Davis expressed, “We believe this is the first such communicative exchange between humans and humpback whales in the humpback ‘language.'”

Dr. Laurance Doyle of the SETI Institute, a co-author, highlighted the assumption that extraterrestrials may be interested in making contact, aligning with the observed behavior of humpback whales. He emphasized the importance of using intelligence filters, similar to those employed in the conversation with Twain, to identify potential signals from space.

In a conversation with Business Insider, Dr. McCowan elaborated on the diverse intelligences on Earth and the potential insights gained by studying them. The theory posits that if aliens are attempting to communicate with us, understanding their unique intelligence signals becomes crucial.

As humans continue their quest to connect with extraterrestrial life, the lessons learned from the humpback whale conversation may hold the key to deciphering potential alien messages.