This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

Guess what, Will? What's that, Mango?

So, you know those golden records that traveled on the Voyager spacecraft?

Yeah, they were loaded up with greetings and different languages and these concertos.

Wasn't it actually Johnny B. Good on there, too?

Yeah, that's right. There's some Chuck Berry on the record.

But I was reading this new book by Nick Pynson. It's called Spying on Whales.

And one of the things he says is that there are actually whale songs on that record as well.

So in the 1970s, scientists had just discovered that whales have these complex songs that they repeat in loops.

And each whale improvises on that loop.

It's really remarkable. But Pines's point is that in the nearly 50 years since, we still don't

really understand these songs. But even then, we find them so intriguing and so beautiful that we're

happy to throw them on a record in case aliens might find them interesting, too. But reading this book made me think we should really dig into whales.

Like, why are they so large?

How do they sustain these massive bodies?

I mean, these creatures are bigger than any dinosaurs that have ever lived.

And also, why do they have belly buttons?

Let's dive in.

Music they have belly buttons. Let's dive in. Hey there, podcast listeners.

Welcome to part-time genius.

I'm Will Pearson.

And as always, I'm joined by my good friend Mangas shot ticketer.

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