Scientist who discovered that whales could sing passes away at the age of 88

Renowned scientist Roger Payne, who revolutionized environmental conservation with his discovery of whale songs, passed away at the age of 88 from pelvic cancer over the weekend. Payne resided in South Woodstock, Vermont, with his wife Lisa Harrow, and funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.

Following his death, Lian Kerr, the chief executive officer of Ocean Alliance, the organization Payne founded, expressed that the world has lost a towering figure in environmental conservation, according to CBS News. Kerr acknowledged Payne’s exceptional ability to connect with people and inspire them to dedicate their lives to protecting whales and the planet.

Here is an overview of the life and career of this American biologist and environmentalist:

Early Life: Roger Payne was born on January 29, 1935, in Manhattan, New York City. He obtained his BA degrees from Harvard University and his PhD from Cornell University. Payne married actress Lisa Harrow, and the couple has four children.

Career: Payne made history in 1967 during his research in Bermuda when a Navy engineer provided him with recordings of intriguing underwater sounds captured while listening for Russian submarines. This discovery led to his groundbreaking work on whale songs.

In 1970, Payne released “Songs of the Humpback Whale,” which unexpectedly became a hit, sparking a global movement to end commercial whaling and save whales from extinction. Reflecting on the impact of the recordings, Payne stated, “In spite of the racket, what I heard blew my mind. It seemed obvious that here, finally, was a chance to get the world interested in preventing the extinction of whales.”

He described the songs as a continuous, exuberant flow of sound with extended repeated themes. Each song, lasting up to 30 minutes, was sung by a group of male humpback whales.

In subsequent years, Payne continued his work on whale songs. In 1975, he released a second LP, and in 1987, he collaborated with musician Paul Winter to incorporate whalesong into human music. Furthermore, Frank Watlington released whale recordings accompanied by Roger’s commentary on a Flexi disc sound sheet inside National Geographic magazine. This release reached a record-breaking press run of 10.5 million copies, making it the largest single press run of any record at that time.

In 1971, Payne founded Ocean Alliance, a nonprofit organization focused on whale and ocean conservation. Based in Gloucester, Massachusetts, the organization has been instrumental in furthering Payne’s mission. Payne retired from active involvement in Ocean Alliance two years ago.

Roger Payne’s legacy as a pioneer in the field of environmental conservation and his profound contributions to understanding and protecting whales will continue to inspire generations to come.