Sperm Whales Clicking You Inside Out — James Nestor at The Interval

Sounds from another world. Underwater footage and awe-inspiring first-hand accounts of divers who are swimming with sperm whales that are trying to communicate. From author James Nestor's 02014 talk at The Interval at Long Now.

"Humanity and the Deep Ocean" from October 02014, one in an ongoing series of long-term thinking lectures: Conversations at The Interval in San Francisco.

Thanks to the generous support of the Elkes Foundation, Long Now is publishing videos of these talks for the first time. Look for more short, shareable clips of Interval talks released here weekly.

[notpulverman]

Sperm whale clicking (200dB).
Space shuttle launch (180dB).
Pistol gunshot (140dB).
Fighter jet take off (130 dB).
Commercial airliner (118 dB).
Nail gun(110 dB).
Rock concert(105 - 114 dB).

Every 3 decibels means the sound has doubled, since dB are logarithmic units.

[Hollyclown]

Whale: “hello friend”
Human: “OH MY GOD! EXISTENCE IS PAIN!”

[dudethmcgraff]

If you’re looking for intelligent life, forget mars. Just look in the ocean.

[branni]

The fact they allow you in the water and come spend time with you is an honor. Totally awesome! The world is such an amazing place full of such beauty and amazing creatures.

[milldinho]

I met a whale once it was great, we clicked

[bryanjensen]

I've been on two trips snorkeling/free diving with sperm whales and believe me this guy isn't kidding...even at a distance you can feel the clicks going through your body I felt like my chest was being used as a giant door knocker

[pearvar]

Do not forget that for a time they were hunted almost to extinction. And currently they are still threatened.

[the_arm_bar]

I thought sperm whales where just basic whales. Never knew they had a superpower.

[kunheecho]

btw....180decibels is how loud a rocket launch is...holy crap

[spike]

People are overestimating them - they’re just beatboxing

[xIIx]

This guy is a good lector. He has clear, smooth speech without dead space between fragments. Albeit short, his information was on point. In addition, unlike most modern lectors he is not desperately trying to trow in some random jokes to get giggles out of the audience.

[df]

I wonder if our talking blows out ants' eardrums

[jackharperd]

I hear that when they learn (and they can learn) that you're sensitive to their clicks they'll potentially quiet themselves down so they'll let you interact with them.

[ravendevino]

Whale: HI HUMAN
Diver: Oh my god! Too loud!
Whale: *at the same volume* hi human

[plato]

All true. I used to be a Navy Sonar Tech and I know that the Sonar can injure or possibly kill if a diver is in close proximity. It makes sense that a powerful whales click could do the same.

[warrenlightning]

To bad they can't destroy whaling ships with their clicks.

[deaththekid]

Props to the guys who risked their eardrums and lives for science!

[WifeBTR]

The stuff about their brains, makes it that much more horrific thinking about the terrors man has inflicted over the years with commercial whaling. :(
Getting killed slowly and knowing it...

[RBLW]

In six minutes my whole understanding of us, the world, and our place in it has changed so much

[SupesMe]

I saw a thing on PBS a few years ago where a Diver was in the water with a Baby Sperm Whale (It was about 6 feet long) and it was clicking away at him trying to figure out what he was and he could feel himself being thumped in the chest. Then the Mom raced up from the Depths and the little Whale said "Gotta Go" and raced over to her. I bet a full grown one could fry you accidentally. Some researchers think they Fry Giant Squids with the clicks