Overview

• Researchers documented 12 incidents between 2019 and 2023 in Marine Mammal Science, observing 39 bubble rings produced by 11 individual whales during non-feeding, non-aggressive interactions with boats and swimmers.
• The bubble rings measured six to ten feet in diameter, and whales actively controlled their size, depth and trajectory, often aiming them directly at nearby people.
• No aggressive behavior was noted in any of the recorded events, with most whales approaching vessels or swimmers alone and appearing to wait for a response.
• The WhaleSETI team proposes that these deliberate bubble behaviors offer a model for detecting and interpreting signals from non-human intelligences, including potential extraterrestrial life.
• Findings support the idea that independent evolution of curious, contact-seeking behaviors could inform astrobiological search strategies and refine parameters in models like Drake’s Equation.