TPO 49

In contrast the reading passage, which emphasizes that the humpback whales migrate long distances in order to find food and mate and they possibly use stars to guide them by. The lecture focuses on the evidence which does not support the whales guidance by stars and the professor disagrees with the reading passage point by point.

First, the reading explains that the humpback whales are smart enough to use stars for guidance. Besides, they have a complicated brain which is a sign of being an intelligent animal. However, the professor points out that there is no connection between intelligence and the ability to use stars as navigation. For instance, some birds and ducks have this ability and they are not really smart, they have this ability intrinsically.

Secondly, according to the text, humpback whales move on straight lines and animals who are able to move straight for long distances they keep themselves oriented by external objects like stars. But, the professor has a different perspective about this claim, he says that the animals move on the straight line by using the earth’s magnetic field. Their brains are bio magnetic and sensitive to earth’s magnetic field. Therefore, they orient themselves by using the bio magnetic field not stars.

Finally, the reading explains that the humpback whales sometimes show abnormal behavior. For example, people saw them swimming with the heads up out of the water and looking upward. On the other hand, the lecture refutes this claim and says that it has nothing to do by looking as stars. In fact, some animals like sharks do the same behavior, they do it in order to hunt for food.