As we navigate these swift changes and adapt to new findings, there’s a possibility that our initial five-year estimation might undergo revisions. At the heart of what I aim to undertake is the sperm whale, for which I have always had a particular fascination.


Collaborating with optics specialists, he developed a unique camera that perceived light the way sharks do. Concurrently, his study of comb jellies in Mystic Aquarium, Connecticut, led to an exploration of their bioluminescence.


That, in turn, fostered a curiosity about jellyfish’s worldview, prompting the creation of robots designed to interact with these delicate creatures gently. Jellyfish produce distinctive click patterns, known as codas, suggestive of communicative exchanges and when Gruber encountered Shafi Goldwasser, an acclaimed computer scientist, their conversation sparked an idea: could machine learning elucidate the whales’ click codes in the same way?


The so-named Project CETI, launched in 2020, thereby emerged from a collective desire to bridge the gap between humans and marine life. It now stands as a collaboration of experts who believe in the power of communication and understanding beyond our own species.


“Initially, our projections set the course for a five- year timeline,” explains Gruber. “However, the pace at which technology has been advancing, coupled with the consistent stream of new discoveries in


the field, has been astounding. These factors have created a dynamic environment where timelines are not static.


“As we navigate these swift changes and adapt to new findings, there’s a possibility that our initial five-year estimation might undergo revisions. At the heart of what I aim to undertake is the sperm whale, for which I have always had a particular fascination.


Their distinctive language and interactions hint at a level of complexity that we’re only beginning to understand, and the process of collecting data around these majestic creatures’ communication patterns is undeniably crucial, because they possess one of the most intricate in the animal kingdom. Gathering and understanding this data is not just about decoding their language; it’s about gaining insights into their society, culture and cognition.”


In the vast expanse of the ocean, there lies a myriad of mysteries, ranging from the tiniest organisms to the colossal giants that roam its depths. As an oceanographer, Gruber has had the unique opportunity to study and interact at both ends of this spectrum.


Filming biofluorescent coral off the coast of the Solomon Islands where he discovered the first ever glow-in- the-dark sea turtle


92 | WINTER 2024 | ONBOARD


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