Decoding Animal Communication with AI and Bioacoustics

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The chapter delves into the fascinating world of animal communication and sensitivity to sound, showcasing how scientists use AI and bioacoustics to interpret the hidden sounds of animals, such as bat ultrasounds. It explores how various species use sound for survival, mating, and navigation, revealing dialects in bats and orcas and the acoustic navigation of coral larvae. The chapter also discusses the practical applications of bioacoustics in addressing the biodiversity crisis and the potential of combining bioacoustics with machine intelligence to explore biological intelligence beyond human understanding.

Artificial intelligence is powerful, but what about natural intelligence? This hour, TED speakers explore the intrinsic genius in animal language, insect behavior, plant anatomy and our immune system. Guests include neuroscientist Greg Gage, computational neuroscientist Frances Chance, social psychoneuroimmunologist Keely Muscatell and environmental researcher Karen Bakker.

We want to dedicate this episode to Bakker who passed away in August 2023, only a few months after giving her TED Talk. Her research and legacy continue to inspire.

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