In a remarkable breakthrough that deepens our understanding of cetacean behavior and cognition, researchers from the SETI Institute and the University of California at Davis have documented humpback whales producing intricate bubble rings during playful interactions with humans. This phenomenon, previously unreported at this scale, sheds new light on the sophisticated communication methods of these marine mammals and their possible intentions to engage socially beyond their species. Observed bubble ring production mimics the way humans create smoke rings, revealing an unexpected parallel in the use of physical mediums for non-verbal communication in the animal kingdom.
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) have long fascinated scientists due to their complex acoustic behaviors and social structures. Although their use of bubble streams for prey manipulation and dominance displays is well known, the intentional creation of poloidal vortex bubble rings introduces an entirely new dimension to their behavioral repertoire. These doughnut-shaped vortex rings form stable, self-sustaining fluid structures underwater, which require precise control of the whales’ exhaled air and muscular coordination to generate. The researchers recorded a dozen whales across different populations globally, documenting 39 individual bubble rings produced in 12 independent episodes, highlighting the consistency and reproducibility of this behavior in varied contexts.
Unlike previously studied bubble behaviors associated with feeding or competitive displays, these bubble rings appeared predominantly during relaxed, inquisitive encounters with human swimmers and boats. This suggests that whales intentionally produce these structures as social signals, possibly to initiate play or establish a communicative link with humans. Given the energetic cost and the complexity of producing such vortex rings underwater, their appearance during friendly interspecies interactions strongly supports the hypothesis that humpbacks use these as extensions of their communicative and cognitive capabilities, expanding beyond traditional acoustic signals.
The physical formation of bubble rings in a marine environment involves the generation of a toroidal vortex. This occurs when a burst of air is expelled with a precise velocity and direction, forming a spinning ring of bubbles trapped within a self-reinforcing vortex tube. The stability of these vortex rings depends on fluid dynamic principles, including Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities and the interaction between water viscosity and the momentum imparted by the whale’s blow. The ability of humpback whales to consistently create these structures suggests an advanced neuromuscular control of their respiratory tracts and blowholes, supporting the idea of purposeful, learned behavior rather than mere byproduct of exhalation.
The research team, led by SETI scientist Dr. Laurance Doyle and UC Davis Affiliate Dr. Fred Sharpe, emphasizes how these findings align with evolving perspectives on non-human intelligence. The production of such bubbles is likened to a “candidate signal” – an intentional, observable event aimed at eliciting a response or communicating intent. This aligns with the broader goals of WhaleSETI, a collaborative research initiative probing non-terrestrial but intelligent communicative systems on Earth to refine methods for detecting extraterrestrial intelligence. Such biological analogs provide novel filters for distinguishing intentional signals from noise in cosmic data.
Further insights from co-lead researcher Jodi Frediani, a marine wildlife photographer and UC Davis Affiliate, reveal that many of the whales documented had a history of approaching humans voluntarily during these playful bubble ring episodes. This voluntary approach underscores a dimension of cross-species social curiosity and an experimental dialogue between whales and humans that transcends ecological and communicative boundaries. The use of bubbles as tools for such engagement may represent an evolutionary convergence of communication modalities that share analogies with human social behaviors.
The study, published in the May 2025 issue of Marine Mammal Science, meticulously analyzes the physical properties and behavioral contexts of these poloidal vortex bubble rings. It integrates underwater videography, acoustic monitoring, and computational fluid dynamics to characterize the formation, stability, and movement of the bubble rings alongside contextual behavioral observations. The multi-disciplinary methodology employed highlights how advances in image processing and AI aid in deciphering complex animal communication systems, paving the way for a new field intersecting marine biology, ethology, and cognitive science.
The implications of this research are profound. By revealing a sophisticated, intentional manipulation of physical mediums for communication in an aquatic environment, it challenges long-held views about the limits of animal intelligence and the forms non-verbal communication can take. Additionally, it opens compelling questions about the evolutionary pathways that may have led cetaceans to develop such behaviors and how these might inform our own search for intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. This underwater spectacle of bubble artistry enriches the narrative of animal minds and underlines the importance of protecting these sentient beings and their habitats.
Previous work by the team includes a groundbreaking paper published in PeerJ, where they tested interactive bioacoustic playback methods as tools for studying nonhuman intelligence, specifically “conversing” with humpback whales in Alaska. These efforts contextualize the current findings within a broader framework of decoding multidimensional communication that extends beyond sound. Such interdisciplinary approaches integrate biology, robotics, acoustic science, and artificial intelligence to explore and interpret animal cognition at a sophistication level comparable to early human communication studies.
Another remarkable element of this discovery is its relevance to the SETI Institute’s mission. The assumption in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence that alien civilizations would use intentional signals to communicate is supported here by an Earth-based example of independent evolution of curious, communicative behavior in a non-human species. Humpback whales’ bubble rings may be seen as an analog to the “signals” humanity seeks in the cosmos, suggesting that seeking non-verbal, physical, and playful signals could be an important dimension in extraterrestrial signal detection strategies.
Complementing this scientific narrative are the contributions from co-authors specializing in cetacean anatomy, behavior, multidimensional animal intelligence, and data science. Their collaboration exemplifies how modern science increasingly relies on cross-disciplinary expertise to unpack complex biological phenomena. Dr. Joy Reidenberg’s anatomical insights help elucidate the physical capabilities whales possess for producing such bubbles, while Dr. Brenda McCowan’s work on AI applications enables analysis of large behavioral datasets for meaningful communication patterns that humans alone might overlook.
The team duly acknowledges support from the Templeton Foundation’s Diverse Intelligences Program, underlining the broader societal and philosophical interest in expanding what is recognized as intelligence and communication. By documenting these poloidal vortex bubble rings, the researchers not only advance scientific knowledge but also invite a cultural shift in how humans perceive and relate to marine life. Playful, intentional acts of this nature humanize cetaceans as intelligent partners in a shared biosphere — a perspective crucial for conservation and ethical stewardship.
As this fascinating research unfolds, it promises to inspire novel outreach and educational efforts, fostering public fascination with cetacean intelligence and its implications for science and beyond. It also raises important new avenues for future research, such as exploring the neurological mechanisms enabling such precise control, mapping the social contexts that promote bubble ring production, and investigating parallels in other marine species. This discovery ultimately enriches the tapestry of animal cognition studies and reinforces the interconnectedness of life on Earth with the broader cosmic quest for communication and understanding.
Subject of Research: Humpback whale bubble ring production and non-verbal communication behaviors in relation to non-human intelligence studies.
Article Title: Humpback Whales Blow Poloidal Vortex Bubble Rings
News Publication Date: June 5, 2025
Web References:
- Humpback Whales Blow Poloidal Vortex Bubble Rings
- Interactive bioacoustics playback as a tool for detecting and exploring nonhuman intelligence: “conversing” with an Alaskan humpback whale
- WhaleSETI Research
References:
Karen Pryor, 1990, on patterns of bubble production as cetacean communication mode.
Image Credits: © Dan Knaub, The Video Company
Keywords: Multiple intelligences, Nonverbal communication, Cetaceans, Whales
