A study finds that whale songs are similar to human speech patterns after breaking down the sound lengths and frequencies used by the mammals.

Humpback whales learn their haunting melodies in much the same way humans learn words For all the world’s linguistic diversity, human languages still obey some universal patterns. These run even deeper than grammar and syntax;

Two new studies have found that whale song has structural similarities to human languages, especially when it comes to efficiency and brevity. It’s leading researchers to believe that evolutionary pressures might affect other complex communicators in similar ways.