Humpback whales are brilliant communicators. Males use
a series of complex sounds to create songs that travel far
underwater. But now researchers have discovered that the way
they leap out of the ocean is also a form of talk.
Migrating humpback whales are lively and can often be seen
jumping out of the water and slapping it with their fins and
tail flukes on the way to their breeding grounds. This leaping,
known as breaching, has long baffled scientists; theories have
suggested that it enables them to breathe better in rough seas,
or that it helps remove barnacles and lice from their skin.A study published in the journal Marine Mammal Science
last November revealed that whales breach to communicate
and that they use different signals for different situations.
Breaching normally occurs between groups that are distant
but in the same broad area, while tail slapping is used when
they are in closer proximity. Fin slapping occurs in windier
conditions when they need to make more noise to be heard.
Scientists do not yet know what these signs mean, but they
show how these super-smart creatures can adapt their
methods of communication to different conditions.Why do whales jump out of the water?
World uncovered
January/ 141Two’s company but is three a crowd when it comes
to parenting? Last year, the first human baby was born
using a technique that brings together DNA from three
people. This revolutionary in vitro fertilisation method
prevents babies from inheriting mutated genes and getting
serious diseases. The nucleus from an egg with faulty
mitochondria is transferred to a donor egg with healthy
mitochondria before or after fertilisation. Some people may
find the idea of a baby with three parents controversial.
But it already happens in the natural world. Magpie geese
sometimes form lifelong family units that consist of three
parents. The trio – comprising one male and two females –
will build a nest together and all take turns to incubate their
eggs. What great teamwork!Curious
world
Are three
parents
better
than two?