Oldest Known Whale Song Recording Discovered

Researchers say the 1949 recording could unlock new insights into whale communication and ocean soundscapes.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 5:37pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have discovered the oldest known recording of a whale song, dating back to 1949. The recording of a humpback whale's song was captured by scientists in Bermuda while testing sonar systems. Experts say the recording, preserved on a plastic disc, provides a rare glimpse into the ocean soundscape of the late 1940s, which was much quieter than today. The discovery could help scientists better understand how whales communicate and how human-made noises like increased shipping have affected their behavior over time.

Why it matters

The discovery of this historic whale song recording could open up new avenues for research into whale communication and how the ocean environment has changed over the decades. Comparing the soundscape of the late 1940s to today may reveal important insights about the impact of human activity on whales and other marine life.

The details

The recording was made in March 1949 by scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution who were testing sonar systems and conducting acoustic experiments. At the time, they didn't realize the significance of the whale sounds they had captured, but decided to preserve the recordings. The sounds were recorded on a well-preserved plastic disc created by a Gray Audograph, a type of dictation machine used in the 1940s. This format allowed the recording to survive better than recordings made on tape, which have often deteriorated over time.

  • The recording was made in March 1949 in Bermuda.
  • The recording was rediscovered and digitized by Woods Hole researchers in 2025.

The players

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

A marine research organization located in Falmouth, Massachusetts that conducts research on the ocean environment.

Peter Tyack

A marine bioacoustician and emeritus research scholar at Woods Hole who studies whale communication.

Ashley Jester

The director of research data and library services at Woods Hole who discovered the historic whale song recording.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The recovered recordings "not only allow us to follow whale sounds, but they also tell us what the ocean soundscape was like in the late 1940s. That's very difficult to reconstruct otherwise.”

— Peter Tyack, Marine bioacoustician and emeritus research scholar

“And they were curious. And so they kept this recorder running, and they even made time to make recordings where they weren't making any noise from their ships on purpose just to hear as much as they could. And they kept these recordings.”

— Ashley Jester, Director of research data and library services

What’s next

Researchers plan to further analyze the historic whale song recording to gain new insights into how whale communication has changed over the decades as the ocean environment has been impacted by human activity.

The takeaway

The discovery of the oldest known recording of a whale song provides a rare window into the ocean soundscape of the past, which could help scientists better understand the effects of human-made noise on whale behavior and communication over time.