Sperm Whales May Use Vowel-Like Sounds in Communication

Researchers find patterns in sperm whale clicks that resemble human speech vowels

Apr. 14, 2026 at 11:05pm

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A bold, abstract painting in soft blues, greens, and grays featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circular shapes, and precise intersecting waveforms, conceptually representing the complex patterns and frequencies of sperm whale vocalizations.An abstract visual representation of the intricate 'vowel-like' patterns discovered in sperm whale vocalizations, hinting at the complexity of their communication system.Berkeley Today

A new study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B suggests that sperm whales use different 'vowel-like' sounds in their click-based communication system, similar to how humans use vowels in speech. The researchers, led by linguist Gašper Beguš of UC Berkeley, found that sperm whales combine these distinct click types into rhythmic patterns, hinting at an intentional communication system.

Why it matters

This discovery challenges the previous view of sperm whale communication as an 'alien, ocean intelligence' unrelated to human language. The ability to distinguish between different vowel-like sounds could allow whales to convey more complex information through their clicks, providing insights into the evolution of animal communication.

The details

Sperm whales create clicking sounds by flapping 'phonic lips' in their nose. These clicks are combined into rhythmic series called codas, which can vary between different whale clans. The new study found that these clicks come in two distinct types based on their acoustic 'formants' - a feature that determines vowel sounds in human speech. The researchers dubbed these 'a-codas' and 'i-codas', and found that whales use them in specific patterns, rather than randomly. For example, some rhythmic patterns employed an even mix of the two vowel types, while others used mainly a-codas. This suggests the whales are actively controlling which click type to use, potentially to convey meaning.

  • The new study was published on April 14, 2026 in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

The players

Gašper Beguš

A linguist at the University of California, Berkeley who works with Project CETI, a nonprofit studying sperm whale communication.

Project CETI

A nonprofit organization dedicated to studying sperm whale communication.

Mason Youngblood

A researcher who studies songbird and whale communication at Stony Brook University.

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What they’re saying

“On the surface, [these vocalizations] sound like this alien, ocean intelligence that has nothing to do with us. But when you actually look at it closely, you realize, 'Oh, we're way more similar.'”

— Gašper Beguš, Linguist, UC Berkeley

“These sounds are able to convey more information than we previously thought. And I think that, in and of itself, is undeniable.”

— Mason Youngblood, Researcher, Stony Brook University

What’s next

Researchers plan to continue studying the patterns and potential meanings behind sperm whales' use of different 'vowel-like' click types in their communication.

The takeaway

This discovery suggests that sperm whale communication, while vastly different from human speech, may share some fundamental similarities in the way distinct vocal sounds are combined into intentional patterns. It challenges the view of whale vocalizations as completely alien, and provides new insights into the evolution of complex animal communication.