In 1970, a groundbreaking album introduced the "songs" of humpback whales to the world. It piqued public curiosity about the social lives of these ocean giants and spurred a global movement to research and conserve their populations. Several decades later, scientists continue to study the intricate vocalizations of not just humpbacks but the nearly 90 cetacean species inhabiting the world's oceans. They're decoding the wide array of sounds that the species use to communicate and finding cultural differences between populations.
Hear from National Geographic Explorers Natalie Sinclair, a humpback whale researcher, and sperm whale expert Shane Gero as they discuss how studying these two species' unique vocalizations are changing the way we understand whales.
SECRETS OF THE WHALES
Follow Brian Skerry on his travels to document whale culture. Watch all four episodes on Disney+, starting Earth Day, April 22.