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Why do whales sing? - Stephanie Sardelis

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TEDEd Animation

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Communicating underwater is challenging. Light and odors don’t travel well, but sound moves about four times faster in water than in air — which means marine mammals often use sounds to communicate. The most famous of these underwater vocalizations is undoubtedly the whale song. Stephanie Sardelis decodes the evocative melodies composed by the world’s largest mammals.

How long can whales sing for?

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Stephanie Sardelis
  • Director Rémi Cans
  • Script Editor Eleanor Nelsen
  • Animator Davy Dumartheray
  • Composer Henri Pierre Pellegrin
  • Sound Designer Henri Pierre Pellegrin
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

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