Page 3 - Coen Elemans News Today

Baleen whales evolved unique structures that help them echolocate — but human noise pollution is too much for them

Until now, scientists did not know how whales produced their signature songs. A new study examined the vocal anatomy of three whales and found how they do it, as well as its sad limits.

A team of scientists led by the University of Southern Denmark has uncovered the mechanism behind the complex vocalizations of baleen whales

In the laboratory, the scientists blew air through the voice boxes under controlled conditions to see what tissues might vibrate. - How Do Whales Sing? Scientists Point To A Specialized Voice Box That Other Animals Dont Have

Baleen whales have evolved a special voice box to help them to sing underwater -- but this could also make them uniquely vulnerable to being drowned out by human noise pollution, according to new research published Wednesday.

Researchers studying baleen whales found they have evolved a specialized voice box that isn't found in any other animals.

<p>The iconic baleen whales, such as the blue, gray and humpback whale, depend on sound for communication in the vast marine environment where they live. Now researchers have for the first time found that baleen whales evolved novel structures in their larynx to make their vast array of underwater songs.</p>

An analysis of the animal’s larynx reveals how they adapted to communicate underwater and their physical limits producing sound

Scientists deduce how whales sing under the sea, and why they can be drowned out by noisy ships.

Whales sing loud enough that their songs travel through the ocean, but knowing the mechanics behind that has been a mystery. Scientists now think they have an idea, and it's something not seen in other animals: a specialized voice box.