How To Speak Whale: How tech is transforming our understanding of, and relationship to, the natural world
with Tom Mustill
28 January 2023, 16:00 GMT / 11:00 EDT/ 08:00 PST
How to Speak Whale: How tech is transforming our understanding of and relationship to the natural world
In 2015, wildlife filmmaker Tom Mustill was whale-watching when a humpback breached onto his kayak and nearly killed him. After a video clip of the event went viral, scientists used AI to discover who the whale was, reconstruct its life story and demonstrate that it wasn't trying to harm him. Fascinated, Tom spent 4 years meeting the pioneers in a new age of discovery, whose cutting-edge developments in natural science and technology are taking us to the brink of decoding animal communication using remote sensors, big data and machine intelligence.
In this talk Tom will explain how whales, with their giant mammalian brains, sophisticated vocalisations and complex cultures offer one of the most realistic opportunities for us to do so. Tom will also discuss what it would mean if we were to make contact. As the fantasy of Dr Doolittle shows promise of turning into reality, how can we protect the living world from these new powers and make sure that if we make contact we do not harm or exploit them?
About the speaker
Tom Mustill is a biologist turned writer and filmmaker, specialising in stories where people and nature meet. His work with David Attenborough, Greta Thunberg, Stephen Fry and conservation and science heroes across the globe have won over 30 international awards, including two Webbys, a Wildscreen Panda, two Jackson Wild Awards and been nominated for a Primetime Emmy.
Mustill directed on the blockbuster Inside Nature’s Giants series which won a BAFTA, Royal Television Society and Broadcast award, as well as the ZSL Award for Communicating Zoology.
