A whale song is the collection of sounds made by whales to communicate. The word "song" is used in particular to describe the pattern of predictable and repetitious sounds made by certain species of whales (notably the humpback whale) in a manner that to cetologists is reminiscent of human singing. The biological processes used to produce sound vary from one family of cetaceans to another. However, all whales, dolphins, and porpoises are much more dependent on sound for communication and sensation than their terrestrial cousins because the absorption of light by water makes sight difficult and because the relatively slow movement of water compared to air decreases the effectiveness of the sense of smell. Increased ambient noise in the world's oceans due to shipping gives rise to environmentalists' concerns that humans are destroying this important feature of the marine habitat.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_song

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1880: Australian outlaw and folk hero Ned Kelly was captured in Glenrowan, Victoria. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Kelly)

1914: Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria, was killed by Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip in the Assassination in Sarajevo, catalysing the outbreak of World War I. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_in_Sarajevo)

1919: The Treaty of Versailles was signed, ending World War I. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Versailles)

1978: The United States Supreme Court, in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke 438 US 265 1978, barred quota systems in college admissions but affirmed the constitutionality of programs giving advantage to minorities. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regents_of_the_University_of_California_v._Bakk...)

1990: Paperback Software, a company founded by Adam Osborne, was found guilty by a U.S. court of copyright violation for copying the appearance and menu system of Lotus 1-2-3 in its competing spreadsheet program. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Osborne)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

"Now you see, Lone Starr, that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb." -- "Dark Helmet" in Spaceballs by Mel Brooks (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Spaceballs)