Site of the Week
Virtual Whales
http://www.cs.sfu.ca/research/projects/Whales/
Humpback whales use ingenious tactics when they hunt for their prey. Working in groups, they herd schools of herring together, closing around them in huge spirals, trapping them with curtains of bubbles before devouring them in one swift, vast, mouthful.
The details of their behaviour, though, are quite sketchy, because it’s not that easy to follow the whales’ movements when they’re underwater. So scientists have taken a novel approach: using sonar technology, recording equipment and computer simulations to work out just what goes on down there. Some of the results of their work can be seen here, and they are pretty spectacular.
As well as a brief introduction to the work, you’ll find movies of the whale simulations, and of the whale hunting behaviour as it appears from onboard the scientists’ research vessel. Complete with the deafening herding calls that the whales are making as they race to the surface, this camcorder footage really is exhillarating viewing. Imagine actually being there - or being a Pacific herring.
There’s also an example of the 3D models used in the making of the similations. You’ll need a VRML (Virtual Reality Modelling Language) plugin, but your browser should help you find one quite easily, and then you’ll be able to play with a humpback whale - moving around it as if both of you were floating in space. Hours of fun.
A word of warning, though: the downloading process for the movies and 3D models is quite a tricky business - the files are quite large, and they take a while to arrive. The amount of reading also leaves a bit to be desired, but there are links to other whale sites if background info is what you’re after.
Richard Northover
Info-content * Readability ** Appearance *** User friendliness *** Kids *** Plugins Quicktime, Cosmoplayer