Overview

• Researchers compiled footage from a dozen global encounters using naturalists, citizen scientists and drone teams to verify intentional bubble ring production
• Co-lead author Jodi Frediani reports that most whales voluntarily approached boats and swimmers before emitting rings, suggesting deliberate curiosity or play
• Behavioral ecologist Dr. Fred Sharpe notes humpbacks’ broader toolkit of bubble use, acoustic diversity and assistance to other marine species
• A December 2023 WhaleSETI experiment with an Alaskan whale named Twain marked a milestone when the animal responded positively to played-back vocalizations
• SETI Institute scientist Dr. Laurance Doyle says whales’ independent evolution of playful signaling supports assumptions that extraterrestrial intelligences would seek contact