this post was submitted on 26 Jul 2024
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Digital Bioacoustics

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Welcome to c/DigitalBioacoustics, a unique niche in the vast universe of online forums and digital communities. At its core, bioacoustics is the study of sound in and from living organisms, an intriguing intersection of biology and acoustics. Digital bioacoustics, an extension of this field, involves using technology to capture, analyze, and interpret these biological sounds. This community is dedicated to exploring these fascinating aspects of nature through a digital lens.

As you delve into c/DigitalBioacoustics, you'll notice it's not just another technical forum. This space transcends the usual drone of server rooms or the monotonous tap-tap of keyboards. Here, members engage in a unique fusion of natural wonders and technological prowess. Imagine a world where the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the mysterious calls of nocturnal creatures meet the precision of digital recording and analysis.

Within this domain, we, the participants, become both observers and participants in an intricate dance. Our mission is to unravel the mysteries of nature's soundtrack, decoding the language of the wild through the lens of science. This journey is not just about data and graphs; it's about connecting with the primal rhythm of life itself.

As you venture deeper, the poetic essence of our community unfolds. Nature's raw concert, from the powerful songs of mating calls to the subtle whispers of predator and prey, creates a tapestry of sounds. We juxtapose these organic melodies with the mechanical beeps and buzzes of our equipment, a reminder of the constant interplay between the natural world and our quest to understand it.

Our community embodies the spirit of curious scientists and nature enthusiasts alike, all drawn to the mystery and majesty of the natural world. In this symphonic melding of science and nature, we discover not just answers, but also new questions and a deeper appreciation for the complex beauty of our planet.

c/DigitalBioacoustics is more than a mere digital gathering place. It's a living, breathing symphony of stories, each note a discovery, each pause a moment of reflection. Here, we celebrate the intricate dance of nature and technology, the joy of discovery, and the enduring quest for understanding in a world filled with both harmony and dissonance.

For those brave enough to explore its depths, c/DigitalBioacoustics offers a journey like no other: a melding of science and art, a discovery of nature's secrets, and a celebration of the eternal dance between the wild and the wired.

Related communities:

https://lemmy.world/c/awwnverts
https://lemmy.world/c/bats
[email protected]
https://lemmy.world/c/birding
https://lemmy.world/c/capybara
https://lemmy.world/c/jellyfish
https://lemmy.world/c/nature
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https://lemmy.world/c/opossums
https://lemmy.world/c/raccoons
https://lemmy.world/c/skunks
https://lemmy.world/c/whales

Please let me know if you know of any other related communities or any other links I should add.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

14% of chimpanzees take turns with gestures?

Is that what it's talking about?

I assumed all animals that communicate took turns communicating.

I know a lot of them have call and response, like birds and dogs and... Yeah, they definitely take turns.

Am I misunderstanding the study?

Is it specifically talking about longer conversations rather than one call and one response?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Almost sounds like full duplex communication isn't a universal and easily implemented brain function. Who'd have thunk.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Yeah, there are a lot of weird assertions in this study. Or at least in this article.

[–] Haggunenons 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

My understanding is that 14% of the time that a chimp made a gesture to another chimp, there was a gesture used as a response. The result of this would be that there are not many long conversations happening with gestures, but like the paper said, they did see one that went on for 7 rounds.

Many animals do use call and response in communication, but long back and forth conversations are quite rare. Whales of some species have especially long back and forth communications. Sometimes, even for over an hour at a time, they will float near the surface and go back and forth, making sounds to each other. There was even a study earlier this year where humans had a 10+ minute back and forth with a humpback whale named "Twain". The conversation was essentially both sides going back and forth, claiming to be Twain.

Sperm whales also have long, distinct back and forth conversations. They have even been found to have certain types of calls that, when made by the dominant individual, indicate that the conversation is coming to an end. They have not decoded the meanings of their calls yet, but they have very complex structures that resemble human language in many ways. They have small units that are location/tribe dependent(think accents) that are combined into larger units that follow fairly predictable rules.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

That's what I mean; I know there are other animal species that have conversations, and this article is trying to make out that the 14% of chimps who have call-and response that may be more conversational are a new discovery.

And they're hinging that assumption on one 7 gesture "conversation" out of all of the chimps they studied

Seems like an fundamentally inaccurate non-story.

[–] Haggunenons 1 points 1 month ago