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Whales Use Bubble Rings to Catch Our Attention
Picture this: A giant humpback whale slowly swims toward a diver and releases a perfect ring of bubbles. This isn’t a trick or a hunting method—it’s something else. It might be communication.
Researchers have recently seen humpback whales blow bubble rings only when humans are nearby. The whales seem calm and curious. They’re not feeding or showing aggression, but engaging.
Why These Bubbles Are Different
In a new study, scientists from the SETI Institute and the University of California recorded 39 bubble rings across 12 whale-human encounters. These rings didn’t appear when people weren’t present.
Unlike the bubbles used in hunting, these were soft, round, and carefully released. The whales often slowed down before creating them. This behavior shows purpose, not randomness.
WhaleSETI: Searching for Intelligence in the Ocean
This discovery is part of WhaleSETI, a project that studies whale behavior to better understand how non-human intelligence might work. By observing whale communication, researchers hope to prepare for contact with extraterrestrial life—if it ever happens.
The project also helps us understand how other intelligent species might try to reach out, just like whales may be doing with us.
Everyday People Are Helping Scientists
Whale-watch crews, drone operators, and divers shared video evidence with the researchers. These citizen scientists made it possible to study whales in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Thanks to their help, scientists gathered rare footage of bubble-ring behavior and confirmed patterns across multiple locations.
What Do These Bubble Rings Really Mean?
A Closer Look at Whale Minds
Could these bubble rings be a message from the deep? Maybe whales are curious about us and are trying to say hello in their own way. If so, we might be witnessing the beginning of a new form of communication.
The Mystery Beneath the Surface
Every new discovery brings more questions. Do whales understand we’re intelligent too? Are they testing how we respond? These ideas are no longer science fiction—they’re becoming real possibilities.
What’s Next in Whale Communication Research?
As science moves forward, we may soon decode more about whale behavior. Keep following WhaleSETI and ocean researchers as they dive deeper into this mystery.
Do you think we’ll ever learn to speak “whale”? Or have they already spoken to us?
Reference: “Humpback Whales Blow Poloidal Vortex Bubble Rings” by Fred Sharpe, Jodi Frediani, Josephine Hubbard, Doug Perrine, Simon Hilbourne, Joy S. Reidenberg, Laurance R. Doyle and Brenda McCowan, 15 May 2025, Marine Mammal Science.
DOI: 10.1111/mms.70026
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