WAMU 88.5FM American University Radio

Friday, November 20, 2009

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Are We Alone: Say What?

Sun., Nov. 8 at 6 a.m. on WAMU 88.5

There's no escape from the chattering classes – they talk, squawk, squeal and sing all around us. Every animal communicates in some form – it's essential for survival. They've evolved to understand each other...but do we understand them?

Find out what's coded in humpback whale song and whether human-cetacean dialogue is possible...how information theory reveals communication patterns within the animal kingdom...how plants call out to animals to protect them...and why only humans evolved language.

Guests:

  • Douglas Carlton Abrams – Author of "Eye of the Whale: A Novel"
  • Laurance Doyle – Scientist at the SETI Institute
  • Douglas Vakoch – Director of Interstellar Message Composition at the SETI Institute
  • David DeGusta – Anthropologist at Stanford University

For more information or to listen to past programs, visit the Are We Alone? website.