Based on the article reported by the BBC here
Scientists have uncovered how some of the ocean's largest whales produce their mournful, complex songs.
Humpback whales and other baleen species have evolved a "voice box" that allows them to sing underwater.
The study, published in the journal Nature, also sheds light on why human-made noise in the ocean can be so disruptive for these giants. Whale songs are restricted to a narrow frequency range that overlaps with the noise generated by ships.
"Sound is absolutely crucial for their survival, because it's the only way they can find each other to mate in the ocean," explained Prof. Coen Elemans of the University of Southern Denmark, who led the research.
"Baleen whales are some of the most enigmatic animals that ever lived on the planet," he told BBC News. "They are amongst the biggest animals, they're smart, and they're highly social."
Baleen whales and their unique voice box
The 14 species of Baleen whales include blue, humpback, right, minke, and gray whale. Unlike toothed whales, they have baleen plates through which they filter tiny creatures from the water.
Prof. Elemans and his colleagues conducted experiments using the larynxes, or "voice boxes," from three stranded whales—a minke, a humpback, and a sei whale. By blowing air through these large structures, they recreated the sounds.
In humans, vocal sounds are produced by vibrations in the vocal folds of the throat.
Baleen whales, however, possess a unique U-shaped structure with a cushion of fat at the top of the larynx.This distinctive anatomy enables them to sing by recycling air and prevents them from inhaling water.
Why ocean noise from shipping causes problems
The researchers also developed computer models of these sounds, proving that baleen whale songs are confined to a narrow frequency range that coincides with the noise produced by shipping vessels.
"They cannot simply choose to, for example, sing higher to avoid the noise we make in the ocean," said Prof. Elemans.
His study demonstrated that human-made ocean noise could impede whales from communicating over long distances, a crucial insight for the conservation of humpbacks, blue whales, and other endangered marine giants.
The findings also provide answers to long-standing questions about these eerie songs, which sailors once attributed to ghosts or mythical sea creatures.
The research also highlights the evolutionary journey of whales—from land back to the ocean—and the adaptations that enabled them to communicate underwater.
