Anatomical secret of whale song revealed – liberation

Scientists have shed light on how important communication works between these giant marine animals. But their study, published Wednesday in the journal “Nature,” also confirms that cetaceans are increasingly having trouble hearing each other because of the noise of marine traffic.

Produce sound by taking deep breaths underwater, without choking? A study published this Wednesday, February 21 in the journal Nature For the first time fully describes the anatomy unique to whales that allows them to sing in the deep ocean. Mysticetes, also called baleen cetaceans or right whales and including blue whales, humpback whales or rorquals, are equipped with a complex nasal organ that allows them to emit sounds while avoiding drowning.

give a voice

The international team behind the new modeling, led by bioacoustics biologist Koen PH Allemans of the University of Southern Denmark, conducted experiments on three larynxes taken from different species of stranded whales: humpback whales, minke whales and sei whales. Scientists blew air through the massive structures of these cetaceans to try to reproduce the sound and record the vibrations. A phenomenon that, given its size, is still impossible to observe in a living animal.

Conclusion: Mystics must have evolved “Unique laryngeal structures for sound production”.. Clearly, no other animal species has this mechanism. Once your lungs are full of air, after breathing in with your vent – ​​the famous nostril that ejects a vertical jet of air –