Humpback whales have been documented for the first time creating large bubble rings in water during friendly interactions with humans, suggesting they could be trying to communicate with us.

Humpback whales, known for their massive size and epic migratory journeys, have long captivated marine biologists. They can grow up to 60 feet (18.29 m) in length and weigh as much as 40 tons.

Humpback whales may be communicating with humans in a playful way, according to researchers who have been studying the marine mammals' behavior. Researchers from the SETI Institute, a Silicon ...

Humpback whales, despite their gargantuan size, eat very small prey like krill and plankton. To sustain their massive bodies, however, they must consume a lot of this food — up to 3,000 pounds ...

June 5, 2025, Mountain View, CA -- A team of scientists from the SETI Institute and the University of California at Davis documented, for the first time, humpback whales producing large bubble rings, ...

Despite having eyes the size of an orange, the humpback whale has limited visual acuity, similar to nearsightedness, research shows 1. That makes it vulnerable to becoming entangled in fishing ...

December 12, 2023, Mountain View, CA -- A team of scientists from the SETI Institute, University of California Davis and the Alaska Whale Foundation, had a close encounter with a non-human (aquatic) ...