Chatty dolphins?
I love dolphins. I think they are absolutely beautiful. So when I read this article, it just gave me one more reason to adore them.
According to a New York Times article 'How Far Will Dolphins Go to Relate to Humans?,' dolphins have a lot more potential than we thought they were capable. And there is a possibility that they may be able to communicate these capabilities to humans.
Dr. Denise L. Herzing, the world's leading authority in dolphins, is working on a system that may allow two-way communication with these beautiful mammals. Herzing has worked for 25 years in the same spot, learning the names and personalities of three generations of the same family of dolphins. She not only observes them, but she completely immerses herself in their world. She swims with them, plays with them, and does her best to learn every detail about them. Herzing and her team have acquired 25 years of video with this crowd. This prospect excites the scientific community. Something like this hasn't been seen since Jane Goodall’s research with chimps. But this isn't the first attempt to communicate with dolphins. Dr. Stan Kuczaj attempted a similar study in the 1980s in Orlando. The difference between his study and Herzing's is that his study was based on visual symbols, similar to apes, and not sound. Because of his background in this field, Kuczaj thinks that two-way communication is definitely a possibility. He is hopeful for Herzing, stating that if anybody can accomplish this, she can.
Herzing's study is based on an underwater computer that consists of wearable underwear. This underwear will be able to make dolphin noises, such as whistles, clicks, and a combination of the two. She is planning to make one of these noises and follow it with some type of action. Because dolphins are great at mimicking what they see, Herzing is hoping that they will be able to catch on quickly, connecting the noise with the action. She realizes that this is not a sure way of communicating with them, but she is confident that her approach has a good chance of working.
I think that this study would be amazing to follow during the next year when it gets put into action. Dolphins are beautiful creatures and can already interact with humans easily. Sea World is a great example of this.
This study also brings something else to mind. If it is successful, what doors could this possibly open? First apes, next dolphins and then what? It'd be cool to think that humans are capable of communicating with most, if not every, animals species. I don't see this happening soon, but maybe in the future.
