Rhythm-based communication: communication with great whales
An important question, developed around the world during the end of the last century was: How can animals, especially cetaceans, live such seemingly complex lives, using so few signs, signs or symbols? Was there actually another perhaps independent communication system within Nature, which we had not noticed primarily due to our own primary human communications?
A decade ago, such an independent communication system was demonstrated by two humpback whales under investigation by Ceta Research in Trinity, Newfoundland. It has since been found in other animals, but only under low-stress conditions. Under stress, organisms tend to revert to a dominant use of signals and Darwinian struggles for survival. But when discovering an organism with remarkably reduced needs, rhythm-based communication (RBC) can usually be found
But how does it work?
To have this new type of communication, biological rhythms must be shared between two organisms for synchronization to occur. After synchronization, pacing-based communication is made possible by an organism’s perception of tardiness relative to punctuality. That is, the organisms, through synchronization, arrive at a common rhythm, and then, within this synchronized rhythm, they can transmit and receive messages using combinations of ON-TIME, LATE, OFF-TIME and EARLY messages. This flow of information is rhythm-based communication (RBC).
Imagine two parallel “arrows” of conventional time, each associated with one of the two communicating organisms, A and B. Now imagine two spinning wheels with their centers on the “arrows” of time, with different speeds of rotation (rhythms alpha)
To achieve synchronization, organism A emits a signal in any one-rotation time window, but only when the window reaches the vertical or “NOW axis”.
Organism A then repeats this action in the next or more complete cycles of its wheel, creating a pulsating rhythm always in the same position in its rotation (alpha concept)
The alpha concept can be confirmed by organism B, if it sends a signal that also occurs in a synchronous time window centered on the NOW axis of any of its subsequent rotations.
This sending of a synchronous signal defines the concept of On Timeness (or zero delay).
Now that organisms are in sync, they can transmit and receive messages using combinations of ON-TIME, AFTERNOON, OFF-TIME, and EARLY messages.
If for a humpback we use 60 seconds as the alpha rhythm, then:
The time (a) would be 58 to 02 seconds, centered at 12 o’clock, on a clock face.
Afternoon (b) would then be 13 to 17 seconds, centered at 3 o’clock.
The idle time (c) would be 28 to 32 seconds, centered at 6 o’clock,
Early (d) would be 43-47 seconds centered at 9 o’clock.
Ceta Research experimentation has shown that the following messages now appear to be identical for some marine mammals, land mammals, and seabirds.
1. Synchronization: Establishment of the On Time concept of a proven rhythm.
2. A greeting or “passkey”: Greet is done through a message Shutdown time – Shutdown time – On time
3. A reciprocal greeting: rhythmic mimicry through a greeting message is a sign of decreased biological stress and a willingness to communicate.
4. An overlapping reciprocal greeting: this happens when n. 3 overlaps the time of No. 2; it occurs most frequently after repeated reciprocal greetings between the same two organisms.
5. The declarative (that is, a simple noun): The facts are expressed as combinations of Late or Early, Out of time or In time. An example of the Ceta Research experiments would be Late – On time – Late – Early to represent “One location”
6. The interrogative: the questions are posed as rhythmic signals, “symmetrical in time”, mirror images of the declarative; an example would be Early – On time – Early – Late to represent “Location?” or “Are you going to the location”? “This is a reversal of RBT’s circular direction.
7. The affirmative (Yes): Double signal on time
8. Negative (No): Dual signal shutdown time.
9. A farewell: A rhythmic message, of opposite phase, to the greeting of # 2 above. Rhythm encoding is On Time – On Time – Off Time. This is commonly mimicked by the second body during the outing.
10. Time compression: a double signal in a single rotation window thus shortening a message in one RBT revolution. An example would be a greeting with a double off time signal followed by an on time signal. Time compression apparently corresponds to the thrill of joy and is invariably followed by a break for some cetaceans.
Ceta Research experimentation on human-animal red blood cell rhythms shows that alpha rhythms differ by species and situation, ranging from 10 seconds for fox cubs to 120 seconds for fin whales.
Ceta Research believes that red blood cells could work for all animals (and indeed, for life). If this is the case, then a universal greeting is doable. A group of living organisms should be able to send and receive messages, using RBT, as if they were physically together, regardless of spatial separation. Wider vocabularies could also be expected and body language should play an important role in communication.
It is not only important WHAT the body does, but perhaps even more important WHEN the body does something.