extreme extrapolation

Sun, Aug 3, 2008

Take a bunch of researchers, a couple of seals, one planetarium, a laser pointer and loads of spare time. Train the seals to head for Sirius and feed them each time they bump into the wall below the star. Remove the laser pointer and observe the seals head for Sirius every time. Apply Extreme Extrapolation. Seals navigate by the stars. The story is here and the paper is here.

There are a couple of things that seem rather odd to me. The first is subtle:

“With a little practice the seals swam in the right direction 100% of the time”

Surely if seals can navigate by the stars they wouldn’t need any practice?

“The researchers think that marine mammals might use star paths, or “kaveingas” as Polynesian seafarers call them … These people navigate by heading towards a star on the horizon until it moves too high to see, and then swap over to follow another star, and so on”

I can understand the principle of stellar navigation in the Pacific Ocean, not the Atlantic. I live on the shores of the Atlantic and well, it’s always cloudy and raining. If you were a hungry seal needing to head for your feeding grounds off the western side of Rockall, you’d be a very hungry seal by the time you got skies clear enough to follow the stars. In fact, you’d be quicker evolving an opposing digit and rudimentary vocal chords in order to phone for a takeaway. But the punchline is just too April Foolish for my liking:

“Seals, sealions and whales are often seen elevating themselves out of the water … coming out of the water vertically and staying above the surface momentarily … allow marine mammals to set their course”

If they’re seen coming out of the water, it must be daylight. What are they thinking, these aquatic Patrick Moores? “Where did all the stars go?”

I think I’ll let Bish ’n’ Bosh from Chewin’ the Fat have the last word on this. “Haw! You’ve taken this too far!”