For years, scientists have known that whales sing songs. But why they do so has been a mystery — until now. Scientists at Cornell University have recently learned that whales sing in order to communicate with each other across the ocean.

Why are whales able to make sound that can travel so far? For one, sound travels through different substances at different speeds. In water, sound travels faster and farther than it does through air. In addition, whales sing in a very low pitch (highness or lowness of a sound). These low sounds are so powerful that they can travel for thousands of miles through water. Now that's a long-distance call!