Whale songs can be used to map out the ocean floor

Fin whales are basically the Barry White of the ocean. The deep, bellowing songs that males use to attract mates are considered to be the loudest of all marine life and can be heard up to 1,000 km away. They can also be used to sonically map out the ocean floor thanks to the fact […]

Fin whales are basically the Barry White of the ocean. The deep, bellowing songs that males use to attract mates are considered to be the loudest of all marine life and can be heard up to 1,000 km away.

They can also be used to sonically map out the ocean floor thanks to the fact that the sound can reach depths of 2.5 km under the water, which bounces back and provides researchers with accurate measurements.

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Beyond that, a 2021 study in Science showed how using a fin whale’s song can be far more useful and have less of a negative impact on sea life than using a large air gun, which is the typical tool researchers rely on.