Humpback whale songs evolve like human culture

Humpback whales sing complex songs that change every year, much like human musical trends. These elaborate tunes, primarily sung by males during breeding season, can last up to 30 minutes. Researchers have observed since the 1970s that an entire whale population will adopt a revised song annually, synchronizing through imitation rather than genetics. This cultural learning is spread across oceans during their vast migrations between feeding and breeding grounds. A male learns the new song, carries it thousands of miles, and teaches it to others, even across continents. This remarkable phenomenon highlights whales' sophisticated social intelligence and how non-human animals maintain cultural traditions, underscoring the importance of migration corridors.