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Singing Dolphins Do Batman

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the bam-pow-whack dept.

The results of two scientific studies have shown that dolphins are capable of recognizing rhythms and pitch and are able to reproduce them. In order to best demonstrate this ability the scientists chose the epic, Batman theme song and were able to teach a shortened version to the dolphins who reproduced it in response to certain stimuli.

4 of 168 comments (clear)

  1. About dolphins by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    They are pretty damn smart.

    I've worked with them, and have good friends that have worked with them more than I have.

    A couple of 'cool' facts:

    When you meet someone for the first time, you shake their hand and look them in the eye, right?

    Dolpins 'beam' you with their 'sonar'. They tend to think that people with an implant (pacemaker), screws or pins (from surgery), etc. are 'cooler' because they are different from most humans they meet.

    They can tell if a woman is pregnant, often before she knows herself, and they understand what it means. One friend of mind works with some 'wild' dolphins in the Florida keys. Every once in awhile they'll get a new researcher (female) and a lot of the female dolphins will be very gentle near her, and rub her belly with their noses (i.e. being very affectionate). The 'old hands' from the research team will always tell the new lady that she's pregnant. New lady will always say 'no way'. The dolphins are invariably correct.

    'FYI'. :)

  2. Stuff dolphins by bananaendian · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Repeat a few tunes from Batman? ha!
    The Lyrebird of Australia is practically a living tape recorder (<= google video)

    --
    www.tribalnetworks.org - helping tribal people around the world to own their own means of high-tech communications
  3. Re:Incorrect headline by wschalle · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Elephants are also capable of distinguishing rhythmic and even melodic patterns. The Thai Elephant Orchestra is a group of elephants who were given musical instruments, and began to play them as a group, copying each other's rhythms, and making use of repeated melodies. http://mulatta.org/Thaielephantorch.html

  4. Re:You laugh, but... by SamSim · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Dolphins are more intelligent than humans. Why shouldn't they be intelligent enough to give consent to - well, if not marriage, at least sex? It's like on Star Trek when humans marry an aliens, only the physiological differences are greater. Also, you don't share a language. (Hmm, maybe it's more like marrying a Russian mail order bride or something.)

    Yes, it IS freaky, but quite frankly, has anybody asked the dolphin? He may well have an opinion on the subject.

    --
    qntm.org