Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are known for their complex and long vocalizations, but a 2023 study published in the journal Science revealed an even more surprising phenomenon: their songs can last up to 22 hours uninterrupted and evolve rapidly through a process similar to human cultural transmission.
Researchers from MIT and Boston University tracked singing patterns in the South Pacific between 2017 and 2022, discovering that whales adopt and modify musical "hits" that spread like waves across populations. A song might start with a whale off the coast of Australia, be adopted by pods in New Zealand 10 days later, and reach central Pacific islands in 22 days, undergoing small mutations with each transmission.
- Spreading speed: Up to 6,000 km in under a month
- Constant mutation: Songs change by 30% every 2-3 weeks
- Social function: Whales with more complex songs attract more mating partners
This "aquatic folklore" suggests that humpback whales possess a form of social learning comparable to that of some primates, challenging the idea that complex animal cultures belong exclusively to terrestrial mammals. The songs seem to serve both for group coordination and courtship, making these ocean giants the most widely traveled musicians on the planet.
Source: Garland, J. et al. (2023). "Cultural evolution of humpback whale songs in the South Pacific". Science. MIT News Office.
