Despite humans and whales being separated by millions of years of evolution, our vocalizations follow the same principle ...

Language has long been considered a uniquely human trait, with features that mark it out as distinct from the communication ...

Zipf’s law of abbreviation was only found to apply to blue whales and humpback whales, though only five species could be ...

The animals’ complex songs share structural patterns with human language that may make them easier for whales to learn, a new study suggests. By Emily Anthes The English language is full of wond ...

Humpback whale song is a striking example of a complex, culturally transmitted behavior, but up to now, there was little evidence it has language-like structure. Human language, which is also ...

Two studies reveal that the communication systems of most cetaceans examined adhere to the principles of efficiency and ...

A new study reveals that whale song and human languages share features that make them easier to learn. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are known for their complex songs. New research ...

Humpback whale songs have statistical patterns in their structure that are remarkably similar to those seen in human language. While this doesn’t mean the songs convey complex meanings like our ...

Researchers say they've discovered that humpback whale song is passed down over the years and changes — something it has in common with human language. (Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images ...

For a long time, language has been viewed as a uniquely human trait, with features that set us apart from how other species ...