Re: Alien Communication Re: Ethics of being a Creator

Warrl kyree Tale'sedrin (warrl@mail.blarg.net)
Thu, 30 Apr 1998 10:31:54 +0000


> From: Eugene Leitl <eugene@liposome.genebee.msu.su>

> Paul Hughes writes:
> > Scott Badger wrote:
> > Again, studies of cetaceans have show that their sonar 'vision' is as acute as
> > our optical vision. Not only that, because of the nature of sound, they can
>
> Uh, that would seem unlikely, give the wavelength of ultrasonic sound
> in water vs. our vision system operates hard at the physical threshold
> for optical instruments. The resolution of long-range sonar whales
> should be pretty lousy, though far ranging.

Long range, how much resolution do you need?

That's the big problem with theories about the ability of whales to
image the entire ocean: just how much benefit would it provide them?
All they need in terms of long-range sensing is to "see" enough
landmarks to locate themselves, and those landmarks *could* be on the
ocean floor.


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