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Tom Mustill talks to Marnie Chesterton

How To Speak Whale: A Voyage into the Future of Animal Communication

Winter Weekend 2024, 

Have you ever wanted to talk to animals? In this entertaining and original event, wildlife filmmaker Tom Mustill reveals how conversing with whales – and understanding what they’re saying – might not be such a crazy notion. Mustill was whale watching in 2015 when a humpback breached onto his kayak and nearly killed him. He became obsessed with trying to work out what the whale had been thinking, and while making a film about his experience discovered that cutting-edge developments and discoveries mean asking the whale what happened might not be beyond the realm of possibility. Mustill discusses the technologies and scientists who are working to turn the fantasy of Dr Dolittle into a reality, and looks ahead to how making contact could change our approach to the natural world.

Mustill is a biologist turned filmmaker and writer. His film collaborations, many with Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough, have received numerous international awards.

He talks to presenter of Inside Science and co-host of the Science in Action podcast Marnie Chesterton.

Tom Mustill talks to Marnie Chesterton