They've really clicked! Dolphins and scientists talk to each other using shared primitive language

[sasha031]

Dolphins are the world's second brightest creatures after humans and have many brain features associated with high intelligence.
So clever are the aquatic mammals that scientists have frequently communicated with those in captivity by rewarding their responses with fish.
But behavioral biologists have now carried out two-way communication with dolphins in the wild in the first study of its kind.

The experiment revolved around both dolphins and humans asking each other for props such as balls and scarves.
A large underwater keyboard formed the focus of the study; each key was painted with a different symbol and emitted a precisely pitched whistle.
When a dolphin pressed a certain key with her nose, researchers would throw the corresponding prop into the water. Should the dolphin instead decide to whistle the pitch that a certain key would emit, then that prop would be thrown in.
Over the course of three years, the scientists played with the dolphins for 40 half-hour sessions.
They found that while young males were less interested in interacting with humans, young females enjoyed the game.Dr Herzing said: 'This is when the females have a lot of play time, before they are busy being mothers.'

The sessions were at the most successful when the biologists had swum slowly with the dolphins beforehand, particularly if they had made eye contact and mimicked each other's movements.Highlighting their social tendencies, the spotted dolphins Dr Herzing's team was playing with even recruited another species, bottle nose dolphins, to play the game.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1357611/Theyve-really-clicked-Dolphins-scientists-talk-using-shared-primitive-language.html#ixzz1FpykdNvv

[IDemo]

1. Next they'll be on Facebook n/t

[cliffordu]

3. Well, there goes THAT human-only neighborhood.....

[FLPanhandle]

2. To quote from Douglas Adams...

“Man has always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much...the wheel, New York, wars and so on...while all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man...for precisely the same reason.”

[sasha031]

5. I love that

I'm with the dolphins:)

[eridani]

11. Well--so long

--and thanks for all the fish!

[Cleita]

4. So maybe the dolphins are really the smart ones.

They have been able to figure our our language and communication ways, and we are only getting around to discovering how theirs works.

[Sal Minella]

8. I've been saying this for years. Why should the dolphins CARE

about the red triangles etc. we try to "test" them with?

If we're so damn smart, how come we haven't yet come anywhere near figuring out how to communicate in their language? I've never seen a study where anybody was even trying. We try to "teach" them how to communicate on our terms, and we're probably boring them to tears.

Covering the landforms with asphalt paving and Genetically-Mutilated vegetation is not that much of an accomplishment, imho.

[d_r]

6. after the experiment

the dolphins said "So long, and thanks for all the fish."

[Ian David]

7. I, for one, welcome our new, cetacean overlords.

[formercia]

9. The dolphins get the best of the deal

They get us to respond to commands without having to give us a reward.

[BeFree]

10. Ok, I'll volunteer

I just need a human female from the audience, please.

Ok. What we're gonna do is perform an underwater sex act for the dolphins and see what they think.

[a kennedy]

12. I always knew this would happen.....just saw the movie "The

Incredible Mr. Limpet" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058230/ :rofl: :applause: