Trending Now - 1949 Whale Recording May Reveal Ocean Mysteries

WHO:

Researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, Massachusetts

Peter Tyack, marine bioacoustician and emeritus research scholar at Woods Hole

Sean Hastings, policy manager for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Ashley Jester, director of research data and library services at Woods Hole

Hansen Johnson, research scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium

WHAT:

Discovery of the oldest known recordings of whale sounds, specifically a humpback whale song

The recording was made in March 1949

The recording predates Roger Payne's discovery of whale song by nearly 20 years

Humpback whales can weigh more than 55,000 pounds (24,947 kilograms)

More than 90 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises make sounds

"Songs of the Humpback Whale," an album produced by Roger Payne in 1970, has sold more than 100,000 copies

WHERE:

Recorded off Bermuda

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution located in Falmouth, Massachusetts

WHEN:

Recording made in March 1949

Research published by NOAA states that ship strikes and entanglements in fishing gear are currently the number one and number two threats to whales

The final moratorium on commercial whaling was established in 1985

WHY:

The discovery could help scientists understand how whales communicate, especially in relation to human-made sounds like shipping noise

The ocean of the late 1940s was much quieter than today, providing a different backdrop for whale song

HOW:

The recording was captured using early underwater recording equipment, considered cutting-edge at the time

The sound was preserved on a plastic disc created by a Gray Audograph, a type of dictation machine used in the 1940s

Woods Hole scientists discovered the song while digitizing old audio recordings last year

(UPDATED March 16, 2026 15:17 UTC)

Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have made a remarkable discovery, unveiling the oldest known recordings of humpback whale songs, which were captured off Bermuda in March 1949. This groundbreaking find predates Roger Payne's famous album "Songs of the Humpback Whale" by nearly two decades and was made possible by digitizing old audio recordings last year. The research highlights the quieter ocean environment of the late 1940s, which could provide valuable insights into how whales communicate, especially in the face of modern threats like shipping noise.