[Don_1 (OP)]

In a superb series on the BBC entitled 'Ocean Giants', one marine biologist who has been studying dolphin vocalisations thinks we will be able to communicate with them in the next 5 years. In fact, they already do have limited communication with some fishermen, working together with them to indicate when & where to throw their nets for a guaranteed catch. (see prog 3 'Voices of the Sea'.)

If you missed these programmes, they can be viewed on the BBC iplayer:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b013q50m/Ocean_Giants_Giant_Lives/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b013wpxz/Ocean_Giants_Deep_Thinkers/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01452jz/Ocean_Giants_Voices_of_the_Sea/

What do you think?

[CliffordK]

3 hours of video?

For those of us outside of the UK, try this link (and links to other episodes in it).
http://walrusvideo.com/ocean-giants-episode-1-giant-lives/


I think 2-way communication within 5 years would be optimistic, but I have 2.5 hrs of documentaries left to view.

Could we build a computer interface for dolphins to use?

What about having a dolphin teach us their language?

[Don_1 (OP)]

I think 2-way communication within 5 years would be optimistic,

That was my thought, though it seems some dolphins and humpback whales seem keen to interact with us. So I wonder if perhaps they are trying to teach us their language, but we just don't realise it..... yet.

[Bored chemist]

Can we talk to Dolphins?
Yes.
Whether they understand or not is a different question.

[evan_au]

It seems that dolphins and other echo-locators communicate primarily with directed beams of sound, which is mostly in the ultrasonic range, for us. So until we can visualise ultrasonics, we will have trouble with their language.

Maybe we need to convert an Olympic swimming pool touchpad into a dolphin touchpad, with symbols painted on it? (We know they can see, as well as echo-locate....)
This is where chimpanzee communications stalled 20 years ago - these days we have bonobos using ipads, with much greater success...

[Lab Rat]

Well, we did teach a gorilla (some) sign language.

[Lmnre]

Beluga whale talks like a human

[evan_au]

I heard an interview & underwater recording of a guy playing a clarinet duet with whales - and getting them to change their tune!

I can't locate the podcast I heard, but here is a video of David Rothenberg serenading beluga whales.

This activity is banned in the US because it is considered to be harrassing the whales.

Some articles:

• http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/499
  
• http://www.realitysandwich.com/can_we_play_live_music_with_whales