Aug. 11, 2009 -- Among the words we use most often, short ones like "I," "a" and "the" top the list. It turns out we're not the only ones who strive for this type of efficiency in the way we communicate. Dolphins, found a new study, do it, too. It's the first evidence that another species follows one of the basic rules that defines all human languages: the law of brevity. The work, which is just one step in a larger attempt to understand the evolution of communication, also suggests that humans might not be as special as we like to think we are. "Indirectly, this is telling us something about us," said David Lusseau, a behavioral ecologist at the University of Aberdeen, in Scotland. "More broadly, it is helping us understand how you get to this level of complexity. Is there only a limited way to reach it or can you reach it in many different manners?" In their long-term quest to understand how complex communication systems developed, Lusseau and colleague Ramon Ferrer-i-Cancho chose to study dolphins because the animals are far removed from humans on the evolutionary tree. They diverged from us 65 million years ago, and their brains are built differently from ours. At the same time, dolphins are known to communicate with a repertoire of about 30 non-vocal behaviors. Related Content:
When one dolphin performs a side flip or a series of side flips, for example, the rest of the group stops what it's doing and moves on to something else. Scientists aren't sure if the side-flipper is expressing a desire or an order. Still, the message gets across. The researchers broke down each of these 30 behaviors into individual units. A side flip, for example, requires a dolphin to jump and land on its side -- for a total of two behavioral units. Head butting takes four units, as two individuals jump, hit and use their heads. A simple turn involves just one unit, so does a forced blow of air out of a partially closed blowhole. After hundreds of hours of observation and analyses, the scientists concluded that dolphins perform simple, one-move behaviors more often than complicated, multi-faceted actions. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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