1 00:00:15,304 --> 00:00:15,824 Speaker 1: Pushkin. 2 00:00:20,424 --> 00:00:23,184 Speaker 2: I'm Sabrina Embler, and I wrote what was She Thinking? 3 00:00:23,344 --> 00:00:27,504 Speaker 2: An investigation for Defector and it's the story of the week. 4 00:00:28,544 --> 00:00:31,704 Speaker 1: On a Friday morning in twenty twelve, back when her 5 00:00:31,784 --> 00:00:35,544 Speaker 1: husband was just the host of The Apprentice, Malania Trump 6 00:00:35,584 --> 00:00:40,904 Speaker 1: went on Twitter and did something strange. Milania basically posts 7 00:00:40,944 --> 00:00:44,704 Speaker 1: two categories of things, the vegetables that she almost exclusively 8 00:00:44,704 --> 00:00:49,064 Speaker 1: eats and pictures of herself. But this was different. She 9 00:00:49,184 --> 00:00:52,784 Speaker 1: tweeted a picture of a beluga whale. This thing's like 10 00:00:52,864 --> 00:00:57,824 Speaker 1: a headshot for this blubbery, smiling whale with a mouthful 11 00:00:57,864 --> 00:01:01,384 Speaker 1: of teeth and a heartful of love. And most bizarre 12 00:01:01,424 --> 00:01:04,904 Speaker 1: of all, she wrote this caption that said what is 13 00:01:04,944 --> 00:01:08,464 Speaker 1: she thinking? The post became a huge meme because it 14 00:01:08,504 --> 00:01:11,864 Speaker 1: was so odd, brand so bizarre. Maybe it was just 15 00:01:11,904 --> 00:01:15,584 Speaker 1: a moment of genuine curiosity from an otherwise cryptic figure. 16 00:01:16,424 --> 00:01:19,624 Speaker 1: Looking at it, we all couldn't help but ask what 17 00:01:19,824 --> 00:01:20,504 Speaker 1: was she thinking? 18 00:01:27,104 --> 00:01:30,264 Speaker 3: Writing is hard? Who's got that kind of time when 19 00:01:30,304 --> 00:01:33,504 Speaker 3: you're already busy trying to be You all stand so 20 00:01:33,704 --> 00:01:36,424 Speaker 3: it turns on a mike. Maybe the twitle is enough 21 00:01:36,744 --> 00:01:41,064 Speaker 3: because a journalist friend has got in that gible Times 22 00:01:41,864 --> 00:01:48,464 Speaker 3: single story. Just listen to Smart People Speak conversation film 23 00:01:48,504 --> 00:01:56,304 Speaker 3: with Information. It's the story of the week. 24 00:02:01,664 --> 00:02:04,784 Speaker 1: Sabrina Imbler, who covers the creature beat for Defector Media, 25 00:02:05,304 --> 00:02:08,384 Speaker 1: cracked open this eleven year old cold case and tracked 26 00:02:08,384 --> 00:02:11,504 Speaker 1: down the actual whale that Malania tweeted a picture of 27 00:02:12,664 --> 00:02:15,824 Speaker 1: and got pretty close to figuring out what this whale 28 00:02:15,944 --> 00:02:18,824 Speaker 1: might have been thinking the moment that photo was snapped. 29 00:02:19,744 --> 00:02:23,744 Speaker 1: Sabrina Imbler, thank you so much for coming on. I 30 00:02:23,784 --> 00:02:27,824 Speaker 1: think you're are first creatures writer that we've had on 31 00:02:27,824 --> 00:02:30,184 Speaker 1: the show. That's how Bob Woodward started, right. 32 00:02:30,344 --> 00:02:32,424 Speaker 2: Oh I didn't know that, didn't he was? He was 33 00:02:32,424 --> 00:02:35,464 Speaker 2: on the creature Oh okay, I would have been deeply inspired. 34 00:02:36,824 --> 00:02:38,984 Speaker 2: Thank you for having me. I think more people should 35 00:02:38,984 --> 00:02:39,744 Speaker 2: be on the creature beat. 36 00:02:39,944 --> 00:02:41,784 Speaker 1: And there are a lot of creatures out there compared 37 00:02:41,784 --> 00:02:45,904 Speaker 1: to even humans. We really overcover humans absolutely. Okay, why 38 00:02:45,944 --> 00:02:48,664 Speaker 1: were you looking through old Malania Trump tweets? 39 00:02:50,384 --> 00:02:52,544 Speaker 2: This story actually came to me because one of my 40 00:02:53,264 --> 00:02:56,504 Speaker 2: coworkers at Defector, Drew McGarry, who's a very funny guy, 41 00:02:57,224 --> 00:02:59,984 Speaker 2: DMed me and he said he wasn't high, so I'll 42 00:03:00,024 --> 00:03:00,984 Speaker 2: take him at his word. 43 00:03:01,184 --> 00:03:03,584 Speaker 1: That's the first sign that someone's high. 44 00:03:03,624 --> 00:03:06,864 Speaker 2: Absolutely, he was like, hey, remember that Malania tweet like 45 00:03:07,264 --> 00:03:10,664 Speaker 2: what do beluga whales think about? And it was a 46 00:03:10,744 --> 00:03:14,144 Speaker 2: really interesting question because I think, you know, the first 47 00:03:14,144 --> 00:03:15,944 Speaker 2: time I saw that tweet, I was like, how funny, 48 00:03:15,944 --> 00:03:19,784 Speaker 2: how surreal? Like why did Malania tweet that? But right, 49 00:03:20,344 --> 00:03:24,384 Speaker 2: she really had her finger on the pulse of a 50 00:03:24,504 --> 00:03:26,544 Speaker 2: question that a lot of scientists think about, which is 51 00:03:27,184 --> 00:03:29,584 Speaker 2: what do you animals? Yeah? Yeah, I mean, and also 52 00:03:29,664 --> 00:03:32,784 Speaker 2: probably just people who are high as well who can 53 00:03:32,864 --> 00:03:33,744 Speaker 2: be philosophers. 54 00:03:33,864 --> 00:03:35,544 Speaker 1: Such a thin line between those two things. 55 00:03:36,184 --> 00:03:39,384 Speaker 2: Absolutely, and I decided that it could be really fun 56 00:03:39,464 --> 00:03:43,424 Speaker 2: to take this question and investigate it as seriously as 57 00:03:43,424 --> 00:03:44,264 Speaker 2: I possibly could. 58 00:03:44,504 --> 00:03:48,584 Speaker 1: Is there any chance that she plagiarized this tweet from Michelle? 59 00:03:48,624 --> 00:03:51,224 Speaker 2: Oh, mama, that is a very good question that I 60 00:03:51,344 --> 00:03:53,864 Speaker 2: honestly should have incorporated into my investigation. 61 00:03:55,504 --> 00:03:59,584 Speaker 1: Okay, describe beluga whales. I actually didn't really know what 62 00:03:59,624 --> 00:04:03,304 Speaker 1: they looked like until your story. They're they're not whale sized. 63 00:04:03,464 --> 00:04:05,504 Speaker 1: They're like bigger than a dolphin, but smaller than what 64 00:04:05,624 --> 00:04:07,584 Speaker 1: I think it was a whale. And they're they're kind 65 00:04:07,624 --> 00:04:11,304 Speaker 1: of a light color. They're very smooth there, they have 66 00:04:11,344 --> 00:04:15,424 Speaker 1: these kind of sparkly eyes and this hump in the front. 67 00:04:15,664 --> 00:04:18,424 Speaker 2: Yeah, so blucas they have a big, a big hump 68 00:04:18,424 --> 00:04:20,744 Speaker 2: in the front kind of on their forehead and it's 69 00:04:20,744 --> 00:04:24,464 Speaker 2: called their melon, which is so cute. And the melon 70 00:04:24,504 --> 00:04:27,944 Speaker 2: at the front helps them sense the world through echolocation, 71 00:04:28,384 --> 00:04:30,944 Speaker 2: which is really helpful if you're living under vast sheets 72 00:04:30,944 --> 00:04:32,944 Speaker 2: of ice, but you are a mammal that needs to 73 00:04:32,984 --> 00:04:35,584 Speaker 2: breathe air, and so they use their melon to sort 74 00:04:35,624 --> 00:04:40,864 Speaker 2: of identify in the vast distance of the Arctic places 75 00:04:40,904 --> 00:04:43,384 Speaker 2: in the ice sheet where there are gaps where they 76 00:04:43,384 --> 00:04:45,464 Speaker 2: can sort of come up to breathe. So it is 77 00:04:45,504 --> 00:04:47,624 Speaker 2: a very crucial tool for their lifestyle. 78 00:04:47,984 --> 00:04:50,464 Speaker 1: That seems insane now that you're saying it, Like they 79 00:04:50,504 --> 00:04:53,984 Speaker 1: have to breathe like we do, but they're stuck underwater 80 00:04:54,104 --> 00:04:55,704 Speaker 1: under ice, like that's my nightmare. 81 00:04:55,704 --> 00:04:58,264 Speaker 2: Absolutely, Yeah, it's not a point of panic at all, 82 00:04:58,304 --> 00:05:01,304 Speaker 2: which is truly wild to me, terrifying to us. But 83 00:05:01,384 --> 00:05:04,024 Speaker 2: for a bluga whale, like their whole world is sound 84 00:05:04,104 --> 00:05:07,824 Speaker 2: and clicks and echo location, so they're again not bothered, 85 00:05:07,864 --> 00:05:12,384 Speaker 2: which bless them. That is my nightmare, trapped under icy 86 00:05:12,424 --> 00:05:13,864 Speaker 2: water in infinite darkness. 87 00:05:14,144 --> 00:05:16,304 Speaker 1: Again, this gets to what is she thinking. This is 88 00:05:16,344 --> 00:05:19,184 Speaker 1: the question that Malania is posing, and it's the same 89 00:05:19,264 --> 00:05:24,784 Speaker 1: question This incredibly famous philosophy essay called what is it 90 00:05:24,904 --> 00:05:27,344 Speaker 1: Like to Be a Bat? That Thomas Nagel wrote in 91 00:05:27,424 --> 00:05:30,664 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy four asks, and it's really attempting to solve 92 00:05:30,664 --> 00:05:33,264 Speaker 1: what's now called like the hard problem of consciousness, Like 93 00:05:33,304 --> 00:05:37,584 Speaker 1: can you ever know what anyone besides yourself is thinking? 94 00:05:37,944 --> 00:05:40,984 Speaker 1: And he tries to get people to think about what 95 00:05:41,024 --> 00:05:43,664 Speaker 1: it's like to be a bat. We could kind of 96 00:05:43,704 --> 00:05:46,144 Speaker 1: like imagine what it's like to fly or not be 97 00:05:46,184 --> 00:05:49,504 Speaker 1: able to see what our visual perception, but we don't 98 00:05:49,504 --> 00:05:52,464 Speaker 1: know what that feels like, right, Like we can objectively 99 00:05:52,664 --> 00:05:55,584 Speaker 1: know what they're doing, but that doesn't get us close 100 00:05:55,624 --> 00:05:59,184 Speaker 1: to what it feels like to be that other being. 101 00:05:59,464 --> 00:06:02,984 Speaker 2: Yeah, we can never know, however much we learn about echolocation, 102 00:06:03,184 --> 00:06:05,504 Speaker 2: about the way that they fly, about what it is 103 00:06:05,624 --> 00:06:08,264 Speaker 2: like to hang upside down for like a really long 104 00:06:08,304 --> 00:06:11,104 Speaker 2: period of time or eat bugs, like, we'll just never know. 105 00:06:11,304 --> 00:06:13,744 Speaker 2: And that's kind of what Malania was getting at. 106 00:06:13,904 --> 00:06:17,584 Speaker 1: Perhaps unknowingly, I have no idea what goes on in 107 00:06:17,624 --> 00:06:19,864 Speaker 1: her mind any more than a bats, So maybe she 108 00:06:20,064 --> 00:06:21,544 Speaker 1: was having this deep thought right. 109 00:06:21,424 --> 00:06:23,824 Speaker 2: Maybe I better understand what it's like to be a 110 00:06:23,864 --> 00:06:25,904 Speaker 2: bat than I do to be Malania Trump. 111 00:06:29,144 --> 00:06:30,944 Speaker 1: So one of the first ways you went about trying 112 00:06:30,944 --> 00:06:33,544 Speaker 1: to answer this question is to do that objective work 113 00:06:33,584 --> 00:06:36,504 Speaker 1: of knowing what a bluego whale. Objectively, you know what 114 00:06:36,504 --> 00:06:38,944 Speaker 1: their life is like. So what did you find out 115 00:06:38,984 --> 00:06:39,704 Speaker 1: that kind of helped you? 116 00:06:39,944 --> 00:06:40,184 Speaker 3: Well? 117 00:06:40,264 --> 00:06:42,064 Speaker 2: As I was writing this story, I was thinking a 118 00:06:42,064 --> 00:06:44,624 Speaker 2: lot about the idea of an umlaut, which is like 119 00:06:45,184 --> 00:06:49,704 Speaker 2: an individual animal or species perception of the world. And 120 00:06:49,864 --> 00:06:53,184 Speaker 2: all of our oommelts are different as humans, like we 121 00:06:54,224 --> 00:06:57,464 Speaker 2: can rely on vision, but can we see ultraviolet light 122 00:06:57,664 --> 00:07:00,024 Speaker 2: like No? Like can we perceive echolocation? 123 00:07:00,224 --> 00:07:00,264 Speaker 1: No? 124 00:07:00,784 --> 00:07:02,704 Speaker 2: And so we sort of have We each have these 125 00:07:02,744 --> 00:07:05,424 Speaker 2: slivers of the world that we're able to sense and perceive. 126 00:07:05,944 --> 00:07:09,584 Speaker 2: And yeah, within a species even like we all sort 127 00:07:09,584 --> 00:07:12,224 Speaker 2: of are more tuned to different parts of that sliver. 128 00:07:12,824 --> 00:07:14,904 Speaker 2: Some of us are blind and so we rely more 129 00:07:14,944 --> 00:07:16,384 Speaker 2: on hearing or other senses. 130 00:07:16,584 --> 00:07:18,784 Speaker 1: What is the umwhalt of a bluego whale? 131 00:07:19,464 --> 00:07:22,464 Speaker 2: So the umwelt of a bluego whale is primarily sound 132 00:07:22,544 --> 00:07:26,384 Speaker 2: for being able to sense prey at a distance, being 133 00:07:26,384 --> 00:07:29,024 Speaker 2: able to sense other beluga whales at a distance, like 134 00:07:29,224 --> 00:07:33,224 Speaker 2: they're very social. Sometimes there will be aggregations of like 135 00:07:33,584 --> 00:07:37,304 Speaker 2: thousands of belugas and it's so loud because they're all 136 00:07:37,384 --> 00:07:42,144 Speaker 2: calling to each other. They're all, you know, vocalizing, and. 137 00:07:42,104 --> 00:07:44,144 Speaker 1: What does it sound like when there's a bunch of 138 00:07:44,144 --> 00:07:45,304 Speaker 1: bluega whales together. 139 00:07:46,024 --> 00:07:48,064 Speaker 2: One of the researchers I spoke to. Her name is 140 00:07:48,104 --> 00:07:53,184 Speaker 2: Valeria Vergara, and she's a great name. Yeah, she's she's amazing, 141 00:07:53,464 --> 00:07:55,944 Speaker 2: But she was basically like, it feels like you're walking 142 00:07:56,144 --> 00:07:59,304 Speaker 2: in a jungle with like thousands of birds that are 143 00:07:59,304 --> 00:08:02,024 Speaker 2: all calling, Like it's just a cacophony. Like it's so 144 00:08:02,024 --> 00:08:02,824 Speaker 2: so loud. 145 00:08:02,864 --> 00:08:06,784 Speaker 1: And they have individual names that they respond to or 146 00:08:06,824 --> 00:08:07,984 Speaker 1: that they how does that work? 147 00:08:08,224 --> 00:08:11,064 Speaker 2: Yeah, so that's another thing that I learned. So names 148 00:08:11,104 --> 00:08:15,344 Speaker 2: are pretty rare in the animal kingdom. Like we obviously 149 00:08:15,784 --> 00:08:19,704 Speaker 2: have our own name, and to sort of communicate with us, 150 00:08:19,744 --> 00:08:20,744 Speaker 2: other people will call. 151 00:08:20,624 --> 00:08:23,464 Speaker 1: Out our name, like Valaria Nara. Yeah. 152 00:08:23,584 --> 00:08:29,864 Speaker 2: Yes, some animals like bottlenose dolphins and perhaps belugas like Valaria. 153 00:08:29,904 --> 00:08:31,504 Speaker 2: Is still working on this research, but it has been 154 00:08:31,504 --> 00:08:33,864 Speaker 2: confirmed in bottle nose dolphins that they have sort of 155 00:08:33,904 --> 00:08:38,784 Speaker 2: signature whistles so to announce themselves. They'll like vocalize their 156 00:08:38,824 --> 00:08:41,624 Speaker 2: signature whistle, and then everyone who hears that will be like, oh, 157 00:08:41,704 --> 00:08:44,624 Speaker 2: that's that specific dolphin, not just like, oh that's a dolphin. 158 00:08:45,024 --> 00:08:48,104 Speaker 2: And so this sort of helps beluga whales understand who's 159 00:08:48,144 --> 00:08:49,944 Speaker 2: around them. It's very sophisticated. 160 00:08:50,464 --> 00:08:53,464 Speaker 1: Okay, but Malania is not asking about beluga whales in general. 161 00:08:53,544 --> 00:08:57,304 Speaker 1: She's asking about this beluga whale at this very moment. 162 00:08:57,664 --> 00:08:59,664 Speaker 1: So how do you possibly go about answering that? 163 00:08:59,824 --> 00:09:03,704 Speaker 2: So I reverse image searched the photo that she tweeted, 164 00:09:04,024 --> 00:09:06,864 Speaker 2: and so that actually came up with this German news 165 00:09:06,904 --> 00:09:08,144 Speaker 2: site called Der Spiegel. 166 00:09:08,264 --> 00:09:10,144 Speaker 1: Oh Der Spiegel's like, uh it is like the Time 167 00:09:10,184 --> 00:09:11,704 Speaker 1: magazine of Germany. 168 00:09:11,864 --> 00:09:14,064 Speaker 2: Oh okay, amazing. So I had not heard of them 169 00:09:14,104 --> 00:09:18,144 Speaker 2: before this investigation. But it was basically like, did you 170 00:09:18,224 --> 00:09:22,184 Speaker 2: know that the US Navy like uses marine mammals as spies. 171 00:09:22,464 --> 00:09:25,104 Speaker 1: There's so many shocking things you just told me, but 172 00:09:25,824 --> 00:09:29,424 Speaker 1: perhaps the biggest is that Malania Trump is reading Derspiegel. 173 00:09:29,624 --> 00:09:31,904 Speaker 2: I mean, if it's the Time magazine of Germany, like, 174 00:09:32,024 --> 00:09:32,624 Speaker 2: good on her. 175 00:09:32,864 --> 00:09:36,184 Speaker 1: So she's reading Der Spiegel while her husband's you know, 176 00:09:36,264 --> 00:09:39,944 Speaker 1: taping The Apprentice, and she runs across this fascinating story. 177 00:09:39,984 --> 00:09:44,024 Speaker 1: Did you know that militaries employee like sea mammals. 178 00:09:44,504 --> 00:09:46,224 Speaker 2: I did know that they had used dolphins, but I 179 00:09:46,264 --> 00:09:48,744 Speaker 2: didn't know that they had used beluga whales. 180 00:09:49,344 --> 00:09:51,464 Speaker 1: So when are we talked about the military budget? This? 181 00:09:51,464 --> 00:09:52,184 Speaker 1: This explains it. 182 00:09:52,584 --> 00:09:55,144 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's enormous. It's enormous. A lot of 183 00:09:55,304 --> 00:09:57,544 Speaker 2: a lot of animal science is actually funded by the 184 00:09:57,544 --> 00:10:02,384 Speaker 2: Department of Defense, which is a weird truth that I 185 00:10:02,424 --> 00:10:03,384 Speaker 2: think about every day. 186 00:10:04,584 --> 00:10:07,264 Speaker 1: This is crazy. So, of course, now you need to 187 00:10:07,664 --> 00:10:09,904 Speaker 1: call the Navy in I do need. 188 00:10:09,824 --> 00:10:10,384 Speaker 2: To call the name. 189 00:10:10,664 --> 00:10:10,864 Speaker 1: Yeah. 190 00:10:10,864 --> 00:10:15,264 Speaker 2: I emailed a wonderful spokesperson named Darien Wilson, and I said, hello, 191 00:10:16,744 --> 00:10:20,224 Speaker 2: I'm a serious reporter working on a story about bluego whales. 192 00:10:20,744 --> 00:10:25,064 Speaker 2: Do you recognize this bluego whale? Within a day, Darien, 193 00:10:25,224 --> 00:10:28,264 Speaker 2: bless his heart, responds, yes, it was incredible. 194 00:10:29,104 --> 00:10:32,104 Speaker 1: When we come back, we'll find out how this particular 195 00:10:32,144 --> 00:10:36,824 Speaker 1: beluga whale decided to enlist with the US Navy. But first, 196 00:10:37,144 --> 00:10:40,064 Speaker 1: our advertisers are going to tempt you with an exotic 197 00:10:40,144 --> 00:10:43,464 Speaker 1: vacation to go whaling. Wait, this can't be right. They 198 00:10:43,504 --> 00:10:54,544 Speaker 1: must mean whale watching. No, it says whaling. So once 199 00:10:54,584 --> 00:10:56,744 Speaker 1: you found out that this whale was part of the 200 00:10:56,864 --> 00:11:00,664 Speaker 1: Navy Marine Mammal Program. You actually found this specific whale 201 00:11:00,704 --> 00:11:02,424 Speaker 1: in the picture that Malania tweeted. 202 00:11:02,784 --> 00:11:06,984 Speaker 2: Yes, Darien, the spokesperson for this program, responds and he says, 203 00:11:07,344 --> 00:11:10,464 Speaker 2: that's a picture of our navy mail blue. No Sum 204 00:11:10,584 --> 00:11:14,144 Speaker 2: also known as No C. Why No s The researchers 205 00:11:14,424 --> 00:11:19,184 Speaker 2: nicknamed him No C after these biting midges called no 206 00:11:19,384 --> 00:11:22,144 Speaker 2: Sums because I think they're really small and they bite you. 207 00:11:22,224 --> 00:11:24,024 Speaker 1: Yeah, they're in Florida. 208 00:11:24,144 --> 00:11:28,104 Speaker 2: No C was one of six beluga whales that were 209 00:11:28,224 --> 00:11:32,264 Speaker 2: captured legally in nineteen seventy seven off the coast of Manitoba. 210 00:11:32,944 --> 00:11:35,584 Speaker 2: And this was a time in the US Navy Marine 211 00:11:35,584 --> 00:11:39,184 Speaker 2: Mammal Program where they were trying to experiment to see 212 00:11:39,224 --> 00:11:44,064 Speaker 2: like what sea creatures work well, not as spies, but 213 00:11:44,224 --> 00:11:45,704 Speaker 2: as you know, as troops. 214 00:11:45,784 --> 00:11:47,984 Speaker 1: I definitely do not know what do you mean as troops. 215 00:11:48,304 --> 00:11:51,424 Speaker 2: So, like they were working with bottlenose dolphins to do 216 00:11:51,544 --> 00:11:55,464 Speaker 2: like mind detection and recover torpedoes. And if you have 217 00:11:55,664 --> 00:11:58,344 Speaker 2: the power of echolocation, like you, you are so good 218 00:11:58,344 --> 00:12:01,024 Speaker 2: at finding those things in a way that our human 219 00:12:01,064 --> 00:12:03,984 Speaker 2: technology has yet to catch up with. I also learned 220 00:12:03,984 --> 00:12:06,024 Speaker 2: like they worked with sea lions, They tried to work 221 00:12:06,064 --> 00:12:08,984 Speaker 2: with sea turtles, and sort of after this period they 222 00:12:09,104 --> 00:12:12,824 Speaker 2: sort of winnowed down the marine animals that they were 223 00:12:12,824 --> 00:12:13,864 Speaker 2: interested in working with. 224 00:12:14,064 --> 00:12:18,384 Speaker 1: Oh okay, now, did Nosey do a good job as 225 00:12:18,424 --> 00:12:18,944 Speaker 1: a troop? 226 00:12:20,344 --> 00:12:24,624 Speaker 2: So it seems like he did, although the Navy eventually 227 00:12:24,664 --> 00:12:27,024 Speaker 2: stopped working with beluga whales because I think they were 228 00:12:27,064 --> 00:12:29,144 Speaker 2: just kind of too big and like it was easier 229 00:12:29,184 --> 00:12:31,704 Speaker 2: to work with dolphins which were smaller. 230 00:12:31,784 --> 00:12:33,264 Speaker 1: Wait, they fat shamed Nosey. 231 00:12:33,824 --> 00:12:40,104 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, They're truly powerful and also blubbery creatures in 232 00:12:40,144 --> 00:12:42,984 Speaker 2: a way that is it's astounding, and nose I hope 233 00:12:43,064 --> 00:12:47,464 Speaker 2: was proud of his theft anyway, So he he worked 234 00:12:47,464 --> 00:12:48,904 Speaker 2: as a troop for a little bit, and they sort 235 00:12:48,944 --> 00:12:53,464 Speaker 2: of transitioned him into just research studies because obviously, like 236 00:12:53,704 --> 00:12:55,784 Speaker 2: bluego whales are really hard to study in the wild, 237 00:12:55,824 --> 00:12:58,984 Speaker 2: and so a lot of our knowledge comes from captive whales. 238 00:12:59,144 --> 00:13:01,304 Speaker 2: They sent him on a couple of missions like how 239 00:13:01,344 --> 00:13:03,704 Speaker 2: deep can you die? And they like put a little 240 00:13:03,944 --> 00:13:07,424 Speaker 2: tag on him. None of the studies around him were 241 00:13:07,464 --> 00:13:11,744 Speaker 2: super consequential, except for this one paper that came out 242 00:13:11,984 --> 00:13:18,224 Speaker 2: long after his death. Wait, Nosey's dead unfortunately. Nosey did 243 00:13:18,304 --> 00:13:22,264 Speaker 2: die unfortunately of meningitis in nineteen ninety nine. I think 244 00:13:22,304 --> 00:13:25,064 Speaker 2: nose was twenty three, and in the wild bluega whales 245 00:13:25,104 --> 00:13:30,144 Speaker 2: lived to like fifty sixty seventy years old. But Nosey 246 00:13:30,264 --> 00:13:33,784 Speaker 2: kind of became famous after his death because there was 247 00:13:33,824 --> 00:13:36,664 Speaker 2: a paper that came out in this journal Current Biology 248 00:13:36,744 --> 00:13:39,864 Speaker 2: in twenty twelve where the researchers who worked with him 249 00:13:40,024 --> 00:13:43,544 Speaker 2: published a series of vocalizations that he had made while 250 00:13:43,584 --> 00:13:48,104 Speaker 2: he was in a tank. And the vocalizations, the researchers realized, 251 00:13:48,464 --> 00:13:51,624 Speaker 2: sounded like Nosey was trying to talk like a person. 252 00:13:51,824 --> 00:13:55,144 Speaker 2: They did not sound like any other bluega whale vocalization 253 00:13:55,464 --> 00:13:58,864 Speaker 2: and sort of mimicked like the pitch and rhythm of 254 00:13:59,304 --> 00:14:02,744 Speaker 2: human voices to the extent that like he was in 255 00:14:02,784 --> 00:14:05,264 Speaker 2: his tank kind of swimming around and there was a 256 00:14:05,304 --> 00:14:08,064 Speaker 2: diver in with him, and the diver heard someone say 257 00:14:08,264 --> 00:14:10,984 Speaker 2: get out of the tank, and so he like surfaced, 258 00:14:11,104 --> 00:14:14,224 Speaker 2: but there was no person around. It was just him 259 00:14:14,664 --> 00:14:15,344 Speaker 2: and no sy. 260 00:14:15,744 --> 00:14:19,744 Speaker 1: Wait, you're saying that the bluega whale said in English, 261 00:14:20,304 --> 00:14:21,384 Speaker 1: get out of the tank. 262 00:14:21,984 --> 00:14:24,464 Speaker 2: I think he just sort of the way that he 263 00:14:24,584 --> 00:14:27,544 Speaker 2: was mimicking human voice, like it just sounded human. 264 00:14:27,784 --> 00:14:31,104 Speaker 1: We actually have audio of Nosy talking, which you published 265 00:14:31,104 --> 00:14:33,384 Speaker 1: in your piece. Do you want to listen to it 266 00:14:33,424 --> 00:14:35,984 Speaker 1: with me and we could determine how human we think 267 00:14:35,984 --> 00:14:36,584 Speaker 1: it sounds. 268 00:14:37,024 --> 00:14:37,664 Speaker 2: I would love that. 269 00:14:51,464 --> 00:14:53,424 Speaker 1: There's a lot of kazoo going on, for sure. 270 00:14:54,064 --> 00:14:56,584 Speaker 2: Absolutely. I mean it makes me think of like, I 271 00:14:56,624 --> 00:14:58,704 Speaker 2: don't know, like a hot dog marker at like a 272 00:14:58,704 --> 00:15:01,384 Speaker 2: sports game of someone you know, trying to speak above 273 00:15:01,424 --> 00:15:05,904 Speaker 2: the noise of being like Horrah, good dog here, good 274 00:15:05,984 --> 00:15:06,904 Speaker 2: hot dogs. 275 00:15:08,184 --> 00:15:10,624 Speaker 1: That is what it sounds like. But it also sounds 276 00:15:10,784 --> 00:15:12,984 Speaker 1: like a little bit of making fun of humans. 277 00:15:13,184 --> 00:15:16,464 Speaker 2: Yes it does. So that's not what beluga whales normally 278 00:15:16,504 --> 00:15:18,984 Speaker 2: sound like. But that is what no C sounded like 279 00:15:19,024 --> 00:15:21,864 Speaker 2: when he was doing his human voice. But it's it's wild. 280 00:15:22,104 --> 00:15:23,264 Speaker 2: They're very good mimics. 281 00:15:23,584 --> 00:15:26,304 Speaker 1: Wow, So you think no C is either imitating or 282 00:15:26,344 --> 00:15:29,744 Speaker 1: mocking or both the humans that know C's dealing with. 283 00:15:30,224 --> 00:15:33,904 Speaker 2: So it seemed clear that NOC was trying to mimic 284 00:15:33,944 --> 00:15:36,984 Speaker 2: a human. He lived in a tank with a couple 285 00:15:36,984 --> 00:15:39,704 Speaker 2: of other dolphins and other beluga whales, but he never 286 00:15:39,744 --> 00:15:42,744 Speaker 2: made these sounds when it was just them. He only 287 00:15:42,784 --> 00:15:45,464 Speaker 2: made these sounds like when there were people present, but 288 00:15:45,544 --> 00:15:48,544 Speaker 2: they don't know, like why NOC was trying to do this, 289 00:15:48,664 --> 00:15:51,584 Speaker 2: if you know he was trying to build connection or 290 00:15:51,624 --> 00:15:54,784 Speaker 2: make fun of us or communicate with us like that, again, 291 00:15:54,904 --> 00:15:57,384 Speaker 2: is just kind of unknowable. But it was just this 292 00:15:57,544 --> 00:16:00,624 Speaker 2: wild period of his life where he did his human voice. 293 00:16:00,864 --> 00:16:03,784 Speaker 2: He did it for about seven years and then he 294 00:16:04,144 --> 00:16:07,664 Speaker 2: I think became sexually mature and stopped making the human voice. 295 00:16:08,224 --> 00:16:08,944 Speaker 1: That's what guys do. 296 00:16:11,264 --> 00:16:12,584 Speaker 2: He had other things to think about. 297 00:16:12,824 --> 00:16:17,184 Speaker 1: Boys basically stopped talking at puberty. Why do you think 298 00:16:17,464 --> 00:16:19,584 Speaker 1: NOC was doing this? Because this is the central question, 299 00:16:19,704 --> 00:16:24,464 Speaker 1: Like what was he thinking? So he's speaking in human like, 300 00:16:24,664 --> 00:16:26,224 Speaker 1: what do you think was going on his head at 301 00:16:26,264 --> 00:16:26,664 Speaker 1: that moment? 302 00:16:27,664 --> 00:16:29,904 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, it's just a very different life, and 303 00:16:30,544 --> 00:16:33,944 Speaker 2: we can guess and speculate, like maybe he was lonely, 304 00:16:34,104 --> 00:16:36,704 Speaker 2: Like maybe he was seeking some kind of connection, Like 305 00:16:37,224 --> 00:16:39,984 Speaker 2: probably he was bored, you know, just to live in 306 00:16:40,424 --> 00:16:43,144 Speaker 2: a small enclosure for his whole life, and like I 307 00:16:43,184 --> 00:16:46,264 Speaker 2: can't help but speculate that he was looking for something 308 00:16:46,264 --> 00:16:48,664 Speaker 2: to do. But again, that's just what I think. 309 00:16:48,904 --> 00:16:51,984 Speaker 1: Yeah. Ugh, So how did you feel when you found 310 00:16:52,024 --> 00:16:54,544 Speaker 1: out that this blueg of whale that you've been tracking 311 00:16:54,784 --> 00:16:57,224 Speaker 1: and thinking about has been dead all this time. 312 00:16:58,104 --> 00:17:03,104 Speaker 2: It was incredibly depressing. I was I was sad, I 313 00:17:03,144 --> 00:17:06,624 Speaker 2: was bummed, and I was also frustrated by the idea that, 314 00:17:06,704 --> 00:17:09,464 Speaker 2: like most of what we know about this whale is 315 00:17:09,824 --> 00:17:13,744 Speaker 2: him trying to mimic us, and it is absolutely like 316 00:17:13,904 --> 00:17:16,264 Speaker 2: an innovation of sorts that he was able to do that. 317 00:17:16,344 --> 00:17:18,744 Speaker 2: But it didn't really feel to me like I was 318 00:17:18,824 --> 00:17:23,504 Speaker 2: learning anything about the whale himself and the things that 319 00:17:23,544 --> 00:17:26,144 Speaker 2: he was interested in and like the things that he did. 320 00:17:26,344 --> 00:17:29,024 Speaker 2: But then I came across this paper that was published 321 00:17:29,224 --> 00:17:32,904 Speaker 2: after Noci died, when the researchers who worked with him 322 00:17:33,024 --> 00:17:36,864 Speaker 2: noticed No Sa and two other belugas like in their 323 00:17:36,944 --> 00:17:42,064 Speaker 2: oceanic enclosure in the San Diego Bay, right under the 324 00:17:42,184 --> 00:17:45,864 Speaker 2: light of like a floodlight on the dock. And when 325 00:17:46,184 --> 00:17:48,664 Speaker 2: you have light, a lot of plankton will come to 326 00:17:48,744 --> 00:17:50,864 Speaker 2: it in the ocean, and then the fish will come 327 00:17:50,904 --> 00:17:53,304 Speaker 2: to eat those plankton. So there was like this kind 328 00:17:53,344 --> 00:17:56,984 Speaker 2: of feeding frenzy that was happening between these schools of 329 00:17:57,024 --> 00:17:59,504 Speaker 2: anchobies feeding on plankton that were attracted to the light 330 00:17:59,984 --> 00:18:03,504 Speaker 2: and no Sea and this other beluga whale who was 331 00:18:03,504 --> 00:18:07,464 Speaker 2: also in this netted Enclosure eight, like the entire school 332 00:18:07,784 --> 00:18:10,064 Speaker 2: of Anchobies, like the Reason, which were like at the 333 00:18:10,144 --> 00:18:12,224 Speaker 2: end of the hour, there and no more Anchovy's left, 334 00:18:12,664 --> 00:18:15,104 Speaker 2: and they had just basically been eating Anchovi's for like 335 00:18:15,144 --> 00:18:18,824 Speaker 2: a full hour. And the researchers who were observing this 336 00:18:18,904 --> 00:18:21,504 Speaker 2: dropped a hydrophone which can record sounds in the ocean, 337 00:18:21,704 --> 00:18:25,424 Speaker 2: and they heard this distinctive noise basically like a high 338 00:18:25,464 --> 00:18:29,664 Speaker 2: pitched buzzing noise, which is also called a victory squeal, 339 00:18:30,304 --> 00:18:33,184 Speaker 2: and so it sounded almost like they were like celebrating, 340 00:18:33,384 --> 00:18:34,984 Speaker 2: And I think that was where I was, like, I 341 00:18:35,064 --> 00:18:38,864 Speaker 2: think I found this little glimpse into Nosey's life that 342 00:18:38,904 --> 00:18:41,984 Speaker 2: I wanted to have that wasn't related to the Navy 343 00:18:42,344 --> 00:18:45,144 Speaker 2: or to humans or to whatever, just like a moment 344 00:18:45,824 --> 00:18:49,824 Speaker 2: of perhaps joy. But again I can't say if it 345 00:18:49,864 --> 00:18:50,264 Speaker 2: was joy. 346 00:18:51,024 --> 00:18:53,824 Speaker 1: But if I know anything from reporting in Vegas, like 347 00:18:53,864 --> 00:18:57,504 Speaker 1: an hour after the All you Can Eat buffet, knows 348 00:18:57,544 --> 00:18:58,464 Speaker 1: he's not so happy. 349 00:18:58,784 --> 00:19:00,824 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. 350 00:19:00,304 --> 00:19:04,424 Speaker 1: Those are dark times. So this original question you asked, 351 00:19:04,704 --> 00:19:08,224 Speaker 1: what is this bluego whale thinking? Does it make you 352 00:19:08,384 --> 00:19:10,944 Speaker 1: sad that in the end you just don't know because 353 00:19:11,104 --> 00:19:13,664 Speaker 1: it kind of implies that we can't know what it's 354 00:19:13,704 --> 00:19:17,184 Speaker 1: like to be anyone else, not our spouses, not our children. 355 00:19:17,624 --> 00:19:21,744 Speaker 1: It's a really lonely conclusion that Nagel comes to in 356 00:19:21,744 --> 00:19:23,984 Speaker 1: his bad essay and that you come to in yours. 357 00:19:25,144 --> 00:19:30,584 Speaker 2: Oh, I really don't find it depressing or lonely at all, 358 00:19:30,624 --> 00:19:33,664 Speaker 2: Like I really, I think just reporting on creatures and 359 00:19:33,704 --> 00:19:36,384 Speaker 2: spending a lot of time with creatures who are so 360 00:19:37,264 --> 00:19:41,144 Speaker 2: strange and so different from me, Like, I find so 361 00:19:41,224 --> 00:19:44,744 Speaker 2: much beauty in that strangeness and that difference, and I 362 00:19:44,744 --> 00:19:48,904 Speaker 2: think there's something sacred about that space between us. But 363 00:19:49,784 --> 00:19:51,944 Speaker 2: I don't know, Like I think it would be overwhelming 364 00:19:52,384 --> 00:19:56,864 Speaker 2: to experience every creature's like experience on Earth, right, Like 365 00:19:57,104 --> 00:19:59,704 Speaker 2: they're a fish in the deep sea that like live 366 00:19:59,824 --> 00:20:02,344 Speaker 2: in temperatures close to freezing, and that's fine for them, 367 00:20:02,344 --> 00:20:03,824 Speaker 2: But it's like, I don't know, like I like to 368 00:20:03,904 --> 00:20:05,584 Speaker 2: learn about that, I don't need to. I don't need 369 00:20:05,624 --> 00:20:06,944 Speaker 2: to be there with them. 370 00:20:07,704 --> 00:20:09,984 Speaker 1: Are those creatures that are right on the thermal hot 371 00:20:09,984 --> 00:20:12,384 Speaker 1: springs deep under the water, which is basically like living 372 00:20:12,584 --> 00:20:13,384 Speaker 1: in the Earth's core. 373 00:20:14,104 --> 00:20:16,944 Speaker 2: Nor do I want that life, but I respect it, 374 00:20:17,024 --> 00:20:19,664 Speaker 2: and like I find it so incredible that there are 375 00:20:19,704 --> 00:20:22,224 Speaker 2: so many ways of living and being on this earth. 376 00:20:22,304 --> 00:20:23,984 Speaker 2: I'll never know what it's like to be able to 377 00:20:24,024 --> 00:20:26,224 Speaker 2: gu whale, but I'll also like never know what it's 378 00:20:26,264 --> 00:20:28,344 Speaker 2: like to be another person. And I don't know. I 379 00:20:28,344 --> 00:20:30,624 Speaker 2: guess I just I'm thinking about a lot of these things, 380 00:20:31,264 --> 00:20:34,664 Speaker 2: being like a trans journalist and sort of thinking about 381 00:20:34,704 --> 00:20:38,664 Speaker 2: objectivity and fighting for different modes of how that can exist. 382 00:20:39,744 --> 00:20:42,584 Speaker 2: And I'm happy that this is making people think both 383 00:20:42,624 --> 00:20:45,584 Speaker 2: about volugas but also about the experiences of people who 384 00:20:46,024 --> 00:20:46,944 Speaker 2: are different from them. 385 00:20:47,424 --> 00:20:51,344 Speaker 1: What do you think being trans like affects your desire 386 00:20:51,464 --> 00:20:53,664 Speaker 1: to look into how creatures think? 387 00:20:54,784 --> 00:20:57,904 Speaker 2: I mean, insects are like a great model right for 388 00:20:57,984 --> 00:21:01,904 Speaker 2: bodily change and metamorphosis. I wish that the medical institutions 389 00:21:01,944 --> 00:21:04,904 Speaker 2: that we have would make those changes like more accessible 390 00:21:04,904 --> 00:21:08,744 Speaker 2: to everyone. I guess I haven't really thought about, like 391 00:21:09,144 --> 00:21:12,624 Speaker 2: whether being trends specifically makes me interested in creatures, but 392 00:21:12,744 --> 00:21:15,464 Speaker 2: I think I am interested in the ways that people 393 00:21:15,504 --> 00:21:18,464 Speaker 2: sort of are quick to call certain organisms like strange 394 00:21:18,584 --> 00:21:21,304 Speaker 2: or weird or bizarre, and use that same language to 395 00:21:21,304 --> 00:21:22,984 Speaker 2: describe different groups of people. 396 00:21:23,824 --> 00:21:27,304 Speaker 1: Sabrina Imbler, thank you so much for answering all my 397 00:21:27,424 --> 00:21:29,744 Speaker 1: questions as dumb as they were about Beiligo whales and 398 00:21:29,824 --> 00:21:33,104 Speaker 1: Melania Trump. And for writing these awesome stories that everyone 399 00:21:33,104 --> 00:21:33,624 Speaker 1: should read. 400 00:21:33,984 --> 00:21:36,064 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me Joel. And if 401 00:21:36,064 --> 00:21:38,384 Speaker 2: I've learned anything from this story, it's the fact that 402 00:21:38,424 --> 00:21:40,144 Speaker 2: no questions are dumb questions. 403 00:21:41,384 --> 00:21:44,344 Speaker 1: Occasionally and just for a moment, I will stop talking. 404 00:21:44,664 --> 00:21:48,504 Speaker 1: This apparently concerns my lovely wife Cassandra so much that 405 00:21:48,544 --> 00:21:50,984 Speaker 1: as soon as it happens, she often asked me, what 406 00:21:51,024 --> 00:21:54,504 Speaker 1: are you thinking about? Oh, this is a horrible question. 407 00:21:55,064 --> 00:21:57,504 Speaker 1: It feels more invasive than asking someone what kind of 408 00:21:57,544 --> 00:22:01,024 Speaker 1: porn they watch. We can only exist in a society 409 00:22:01,424 --> 00:22:03,784 Speaker 1: if we're all ignorant about what each other is thinking, 410 00:22:04,384 --> 00:22:08,224 Speaker 1: or worse, how little they think about us. So let 411 00:22:08,264 --> 00:22:11,384 Speaker 1: me be the first podcast host in history to ask 412 00:22:11,424 --> 00:22:14,704 Speaker 1: you not to post reviews of this show on Apple Podcasts. 413 00:22:15,344 --> 00:22:18,184 Speaker 1: Keep it to yourself. But you can still give us 414 00:22:18,184 --> 00:22:20,704 Speaker 1: five stars. It really helps. 415 00:22:23,064 --> 00:22:26,264 Speaker 3: At the end of the show, what's next for Joel Stein? 416 00:22:26,424 --> 00:22:30,464 Speaker 3: Maybe you'll take a napper poker round online. 417 00:22:30,544 --> 00:22:34,304 Speaker 1: Our show is produced by Joey fish Ground, Mola Board 418 00:22:34,904 --> 00:22:38,744 Speaker 1: and Nishavenka. It was edited by Lydia Jenan Kopp. Our 419 00:22:38,784 --> 00:22:41,584 Speaker 1: engineer is Amanda kay Wang and our executive producer is 420 00:22:41,744 --> 00:22:45,624 Speaker 1: Catharine Cheradah. Our theme song was produced by Jonathan Coleman. 421 00:22:46,104 --> 00:22:48,784 Speaker 1: A special thanks to My Voice coach Vicky Merrick am 422 00:22:48,824 --> 00:22:53,344 Speaker 1: I consulting producer Laurence Alasnik. To find more Pushkin podcasts, 423 00:22:53,504 --> 00:22:57,704 Speaker 1: listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 424 00:22:57,784 --> 00:23:01,584 Speaker 1: listen to your podcasts. I'm Joel Stein, and this is 425 00:23:01,704 --> 00:23:02,464 Speaker 1: story of the Week. 426 00:23:05,064 --> 00:23:08,664 Speaker 2: So many creatures rely on the stars to navigate, Like 427 00:23:08,704 --> 00:23:12,104 Speaker 2: I just published a story about dung beetles. And dung beetles, 428 00:23:12,864 --> 00:23:16,784 Speaker 2: there's one species that is nocturnal and they use the 429 00:23:16,824 --> 00:23:21,064 Speaker 2: Milky Way to navigate where to roll their dung to. 430 00:23:21,784 --> 00:23:25,264 Speaker 2: Isn't that amazing? Like not true, it's incredible. 431 00:23:25,744 --> 00:23:27,784 Speaker 1: That's the thing about being a creature's reporter. You can 432 00:23:27,824 --> 00:23:30,624 Speaker 1: make up anything. Beetles use the milky Way to bury 433 00:23:30,664 --> 00:23:32,424 Speaker 1: their dung. Like you just make stuff up. No one 434 00:23:32,464 --> 00:23:34,384 Speaker 1: knows