Scientists Claim Image Displays What Dolphins “See With Sound” Using Echolocation

Sceintists from the research organization Speak Dolphin claim that they’ve been able to accurately capture what dolphins “see” when the animals use echolocation.

The complicated process records and analyzes echolocation sounds made by dolphins while the dolphins observed various objects. The analyzed data was then fed through a device called a CymaScope, which allowed both 2-D and 3-D printouts of the dolphin’s view of the objects to be produced. The first image made available shows a dolphin’s view a human trainer submerged underwater.

In a press release announcing the findings, the organization’s founder Jack Kassewitz explained how dolphins use echolocation.

“When a dolphin scans an object with its high-frequency sound beam, each short click captures a still image, similar to a camera taking photographs.”

The research has to the potential to be groundbreaking, with the team also believing it’s possible that their work could eventually prove that dolphins are able to communicate with each other using echolocation generated images, in what’s being hypothetically referred to as a “sono-pictorial” language.    

When speaking of the revolutionary potential of their work, Kassewitz stated, “For the first time ever, we may be holding in our hands a glimpse into what cetaceans see with sound.”