How does one see a sound? Scientists like Patrick Miller, postdoctoral investigator at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, use a spectrogram, or visual representation of sound waves graphed over time. Spectrograms are used in bioacoustics, or the study of animal sounds, and in fields like linguistics to determine sound patterns.
Miller has created an engaging interactive series of actual recordings and spectrograms of marine mammals. Learn about the basic biology and habits of bottlenose dolphins, killer whales, false killer whales, humpback whales, and sperm whales while learning about the basic components of sound. A brief slideshow puts the study of bioacoustics in a historical and societal context, highlighting important advances in the field.
Understanding how dolphins and whales communicate using sounds will help us understand the effects of human-made noise on marine animals and find ways to create more environmentally friendly devices, such as fishing nets that dolphins and whales can detect and therefore avoid.
