Mysterious ocean sound identified as Bryde's whales by researchers using AI

A team of oceanographers and marine biologists from NOAA and Oregon State University has identified a mysterious sound – heard repeatedly in the Pacific Ocean over two decades – as the call of Bryde's whales. First recorded in 2014 and termed a "biotwang," the metallic ping has since been detected in multiple locations. Following confirmation of the sound’s source after surveying the whales around the Mariana Islands, the researchers collaborated with Google to develop an AI app capable of tracking the movements of whale species based on their vocalisations. The app revealed previously unknown insights into the migratory paths of the Bryde's whale, including that they inhabit a region known as the Pacific Ocean transition zone, a plankton-rich oceanic boundary where warm and cool water meet. (Phys.org)