Dolphins are Supra Humans

Social group

- Dolphins are marine mammals, however, because they are highly intelligent, self-aware, and social, some philosophers and scientists advocate for classifying them as 'non-human persons.'
- Key traits that humans share with dolphins include things like consciousness, communication, intelligence and physiology.
- For example, they recognize themselves in mirrors and possess individual personalities.
- They use signature whistles and complex, learned vocalizations and they use tools, pass down cultural traditions, and solve complex problems.
- Like humans, they are warm-blooded, breathe air through lungs, give birth to live young, and nurse their calves.
- Just as human children learn by observing adults, young dolphins learn through imitation and practice.

Wild dolphin

- When people spend time watching wild dolphins, one thing becomes clear very quickly: these animals are not just swimming mammals, they are thinkers, communicators, and social beings with complex lives.
- Like people, dolphins are highly social animals, they live in groups called pods, often made up of family members and long-term companions in what’s called a fission-fusion society.
- Mother dolphins form deep bonds with their calves, caring for them for several years.
- Calves learn essential life skills such as how to find food, avoid danger, and communicate by watching and interacting with their mothers and other dolphins in the group.
- Older sisters, aunts, and related females without calves often spend time nearby, helping to 'babysit' and giving younger dolphins a chance to learn parenting skills before they have calves of their own.

A fission–fusion society is one where group members don’t stay together all the time. Dolphins form groups that come together (fusion) and split apart (fission) depending on things like food, safety, travel, social bonds, and life stage. Individuals may spend time with different companions throughout the day, then reunite later. This flexible social system allows dolphins to maintain strong relationships — much like how people move between family, friends, school, and work groups. (wilddolphinproject.org)

Sea creatures are individuals

- Male dolphins form strong social bonds as well, often developing close partnerships that can last a lifetime.
-These long-term alliances, similar to best friends, help males cooperate during conflicts with other males and improve their chances of finding mates.
- Each dolphin develops a unique sound called a signature whistle, which functions in some ways like a human name.
- Dolphins use these whistles to identify themselves and to recognize one another within their social groups.
- People rely on language, facial expressions, and gestures to communicate and dolphins do the same, just underwater.
- Dolphins communicate using: whistles, clicks, burst-pulses, body postures, touch and movement.

Recent research has revealed something especially fascinating: mother dolphins change the way they whistle when their calves are nearby. Much like human parents use a higher-pitched, exaggerated form of speech often called “motherese” (think Ms. Rachel) when talking to babies, dolphin mothers modify their signature whistles in the presence of their young. (wilddolphinproject.org)

Pods

- These sounds and behaviors are used during play, social bonding, coordination, and even conflict.
- For example, dolphins may show aggression by opening their mouths or, in more intense situations, through physical behaviors such as charging, biting, tail slaps, and tooth raking which is the act of scraping their blunt teeth against the skin of another dolphin.
- One of the strongest similarities between dolphins and humans is culture, behaviors that are learned and passed from one generation to the next.
- Additionally, no two dolphins are exactly alike; some dolphins are bold, curious, and playful, while others are cautious and standoffish.

In parts of southern Brazil, bottlenose dolphins and local fishers have developed a cooperative fishing tradition that has lasted for generations. The dolphins herd schools of mullet toward the shoreline and signal fishermen — often with tail or head slaps — when to cast their nets. This partnership, practiced by only some dolphins in the population, appears to be socially learned and passed down through dolphin communities, as helper dolphins tend to stick together and spend time with other dolphins that use the same technique. (wilddolphinproject.org)

Dolphin on left

- Certain individuals enjoy playful interactions, like games of seaweed keep-away with people in the water, while others prefer to keep their distance.
- Proving that dolphins display behaviors that suggest excitement, curiosity, frustration, and affection which are emotional states that feel very familiar to humans.
- Researchers have also witnessed dolphins forming preferred friendships, cooperating with certain individuals, and avoiding others, much like people navigating complex social relationships.
- Tool use is often considered a sign of advanced intelligence, and dolphins are one of the few non-human animals known to use tools.
- In some dolphin populations, individuals use marine sponges to protect their snouts while foraging along the seafloor and this behavior is learned, not instinctive and passed from mother to calf.

Gold fishing

- Dolphins also use their environment in creative ways while hunting, for instance, bottlenose dolphins practice crater-feeding, digging into sandy bottoms to flush out hidden fish.
- Dolphins have also been observed creating mud rings, circling fish with clouds of mud to trap them before feeding.
- In shallow waters, certain orcas intentionally strand themselves briefly on beaches to grab prey, then wriggle back into the water which is a risky technique taught from adults to young.
- Bottlenose dolphins also do this along the southern East Coast of the United States.
- These complex strategies require coordination, learning, and precise timing.

Recent researched described orcas (the largest dolphin species) using kelp. In some populations, orcas have been observed draping strands of kelp over their bodies and rubbing against one another — a behavior scientists believe may help with skin care, parasite removal, or social bonding. This behavior appears to be learned and socially shared, rather than instinctive. Orcas are also masters at using their environment as a tool while hunting. Different populations have developed specialized techniques passed down through generations. (wilddolphinproject.org)

DNA

- The chromosome makeup of humans and dolphins is surprisingly alike and our genomes are virtually identical.
- Humans share about 80% to 90% of our DNA with dolphins.
- As fellow mammals, we inherit a vast amount of the same fundamental genetic blueprint and roughly half of our genes are identical to those of almost any other mammal.

Brain size

- Dolphins are considered one of the most intelligent animals on Earth, and much of this reputation comes from their remarkable brains.
- A dolphin’s brain is larger than a human’s in absolute weight and has a very high brain-to-body size ratio, second only to humans and our brains have evolved in very similar ways.
- Dolphin brains are also highly folded, which increases surface area and is linked to advanced thinking and processing.
- They can understand abstract concepts, cooperate in hunting, and form deep social bonds within pods.
- Dolphins are the 2nd smartest creature in the world, right under humans which means they are smarter than apes.
- They are self-conscious and have self-awareness, a trait that only humans, dolphins and elephants possess.

Dolphin at play with child

- For all these reasons, dolphins are very much like humans, in fact, they live roughly as long as humans and in the wild they live to about 50 years of age.
- This, all without human technology and medicine or medical advancements to keep them going.
- They're very social creatures and have been known to have conversations and they have their own unique and complex language which humans still haven't deciphered.
- This comes from a complex set of frequencies and noises they use to communicate and they also have different dialects from pod to pod which require different frequencies.
- You might think of it as British English compared to American English.
- They also play with each other and interact with humans more so than with other creatures.

Perception

- Dolphins adapt and can find solutions to problems, much like humans wear armor in battle or wear clothes to protect us from the weather.
- In their social groups, they also take care of the elderly by providing food, healing them and protecting them.
- When a dolphin is injured, they will work together to support the dolphin, rather than leaving it on its own.
- Dolphins have complex emotions and grieve and they even have rituals such as mothers burying their young by taking them to a burial spot.

Love and joy

- They also express love and joy and researchers have observed relationships forming between dolphin members that go way beyond breeding.
- Dolphins must go to the surface of the water to collect air in order to breathe.
- They hold their breath underwater because they can't breathe down there and they can drown if they can't get air in time.

Offshore wind farm

- Recently, there has been a backlash against wind farms because a recent study has shown that offshore wind turbines warm the sea surface by as much as one degree Celsius.
- The turbines slow the wind mixture and shut down upwelling (water from below rising), and in turn, trap heat at the surface and this effect can spread as far as 12 to 62 miles from the wind farm.
- Warm waters that result then heat the air above, creating extra upward heat flux and a more unstable boundary layer.
- It's a known fact that this kills whales (orcas), which are another type of dolphin.
- This, is in addition to bird kills, sediment disruption, underwater noise and microplastic shedding, has been a disaster and it's clear that wind farms aren't solving any environmental problems, but causing more because they're intentionally altering the weather patterns.

Beach story

- Understanding how dolphins are similar to people changes how we think about our responsibility toward them.
- Dolphins are not just wildlife we observe, they are sentient beings with relationships, memories, and culture.
- Protecting dolphins means protecting not only individuals but their families and their habitats and their ability to communicate and pass on knowledge.

The Wild Dolphin Project’s non-invasive research approach — observing dolphins in their natural environment without feeding or training them — allows scientists to study dolphin behavior ethically while respecting their autonomy.(wilddolphinproject.org)

Dolphin Abduction

Some sea creatures have protective armor

- What about the story concerning a man named Ricky James Hollowell, a 33-year-old engineer, who was found on a beach in Florida soaking wet and claimed he was abducted by dolphins for 3 days to help build a city for them.
- He said that the dolphins approached him when he was swimming off the beach and escorted him to a site about 40 feet below the surface.
- Authorities claim his story was a hoax but do you believe them (and why would you believe them)?
- After all, these are the same creeps who made laws prohibiting us from communicating with dolphins, there must be some bigger reason they're not telling us about.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call at approximately 5:45 a.m. from a passing motorist who spotted Ricky James Hollowell standing barefoot on the shoulder of the causeway, drenched in seawater and frantically sketching diagrams in the wet sand. Hollowell, a resident of nearby Cape Coral, was clad only in faded blue swim trunks, with severe sunburn covering his upper body and what appeared to be minor abrasions on his hands and feet—consistent, he later claimed, with “handling coral and structural materials” underwater. (WXYZ news)

Habitat

- In fact, according to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) created in 1972,  you're not supposed to get any closer than 50 yards from them and if the government finds out they'll fine you $100,000 and also confiscate property, such as boats.
- The posts circulating across social media alleged that the man had been found sunburned on a beach in Lee County, Florida, and according to the 'viral' versions, he told deputies he had been taken by a pod of bottlenose dolphins led by one he called 'Gerald,' a larger male dolphin with distinctive scarring on its dorsal fin, and forced to assist in building an underwater complex.
- The story included claims and the man allegedly drew architectural blueprints in the sand which authorities called 'detailed enough to be concerning.'
- An 11-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, remarked in the report: 'I’ve seen my share of oddities in Lee County, but this guy’s diagrams had zoning regulations penciled in, setbacks, load-bearing specs, even environmental impact notes.'
- What began as a seemingly outlandish tale is now shrouded in deeper mystery following medical evaluations and a routine background check by authorities.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits anybody from attempting to harass, hunt, kill or feed wild dolphins and is punishable by up to a year in prison and up to $100,000 in fines. (Assistant)

Underwater city

- Hollowell told a story about how he communicated with dolphins through a series of clicks he claimed to have learned to interpret.
- But what you should realize is that this is a true story because dolphins have been increasingly threatened and many have been killed recently and they're frightened and need our help.
- Dozens of dolphins have washed up dead along the Florida Panhandle and coastal areas and wildlife officials are investigating a concerning spike in strandings, with over 44 dolphin deaths reported in Northwest Florida just in a third of this year.
- Numerous dolphins found dead on Florida beaches have been fatally injured by humans through shootings, stabbings, and illegal feeding.
- While some strandings are caused by natural diseases or boat strikes, federal authorities actively investigate targeted killings of marine mammals across the state.

According to the official incident report obtained by The Associated Press, Hollowell recounted being approached by a group of bottlenose dolphins while swimming recreationally off Fort Myers Beach on Friday afternoon. “They surrounded me like a security detail,” Hollowell told deputies. “It wasn’t aggressive at first, but they nudged me deeper, away from the shore. Before I knew it, I was at a site about 40 feet down in the Gulf, helping them build what looked like a full-scale aquatic habitat.” (WXYZ news)

Beached dolphin was murdered

- Necropsies have revealed dolphins impaled with spear-like objects or sharp instruments.
- In one notorious incident on Fort Myers Beach, a lactating mother dolphin was stabbed in the head while in a 'begging position,' a dangerous, unnatural posture dolphins exhibit when accustomed to receiving illegal hand-outs from humans. 
- Federal authorities have recovered dolphins bearing gunshot wounds.
- In previous investigations, dolphins with fatal bullet wounds to the head and body have washed ashore in places like Naples and Pensacola Beach.
- Propeller strikes and blunt-force trauma from watercraft are another highly common way humans inflict fatal injuries on dolphins.
- Since dolphins don't have atom bombs or guns to fight whoever is attacking them, or tools to construct anything to hide themselves, the dolphins wanted the sunburned man on the beach to help them build a fortress for protection.

Deputies noted that Hollowell’s sand sketches were remarkably detailed, spanning roughly 10 feet across and including scaled blueprints for what resembled a submerged community: multi-level “condo” structures made from natural coral and synthetic-like materials, a central “town square” with gathering pods, and even a “recreation center” featuring what Hollowell described as “dolphin-friendly obstacle courses.” (WXYZ news)

Deep sea fortress

- You see, dolphins know which souls are Earth are good and they know the bad souls as well, they know what all of us are.
- The man claimed that Gerald the dolphin served as the foreman and forced him to help design and build underwater condos and a town square.
- When pressed by deputies on how he survived underwater for 3 days without oxygen equipment, Hollowell replied cryptically: “Gerald handled the breathing part, some kind of bubble system or pressure adaptation, I didn’t ask too many questions.”
- He was eventually released because the dolphins were satisfied with his work on 'phase one' of the city but they communicated that they'd be back for 'phase two.'
- He then swam to shore, disoriented from exhaustion, and hitchhiked partway to the causeway before collapsing.

Hospital officials cleared Hollowell with a clean bill of health, reporting no signs of delirium, psychosis, or head trauma that could explain hallucinations. However, a routine chest X-ray and fluid analysis revealed trace amounts of Gulf seawater in his lungs—specifically, saline levels matching samples from 30-50 feet offshore, with microscopic marine particles like diatoms and plankton residue. (WXYZ news)

Gazebo

- Emergency responders transported Hollowell to Lee Memorial Hospital for evaluation, where he was treated for dehydration and sunburn, however, no drugs or alcohol were detected in his system.
- The attending pulmonologist, stated in a released summary: “This isn’t consistent with a brief drowning incident or aspiration from swimming; it’s as if his respiratory system was exposed to seawater for an extended period, yet without the expected inflammation or damage, we’re consulting marine biologists for further insight, but it’s puzzling.”
- You have to remember, that just like humans, dolphins can't breathe underwater and must come up to the surface every now and then for air, however, they can trap air in bubbles which enables them to stay under longer.
- Plus the fact with their huge brains they might be smarter than us.
- Of course, the 'authorities' turned this into another 'conspiracy theory' and 'tin-hat' story, the same as every other story they don't want you to know anything about.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office also got in on the joke, assuring the public in a tongue-in-cheek Facebook statement that the underwater real estate market in Southwest Florida hadn't been tapped into quite yet. The hilarious premise spawned a massive wave of memes, online commentary, and TikTok videos as the internet ran with the absurd concept of "DolphinGate." (Assistant)

Advanced engineering

- A background check conducted by the sheriff’s office uncovered Hollowell’s impressive professional history in aerospace engineering.
- Hollowell, who holds a master’s degree in aerospace structures from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), previously worked for a decade at Lockheed Martin in Orlando, where he specialized in advanced composite materials and submersible vehicle designs for deep-sea exploration projects funded by NASA and the U.S. Navy.

The sheriff’s office has classified the incident as “unresolved” but not criminal, with no active investigation into dolphin-related abductions. Marine experts from Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, consulted by authorities, dismissed the claims as improbable but acknowledged that bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf are known for intelligent, social behaviors and occasional human interactions. “Pods have been documented ‘escorting’ swimmers, but construction work?. (WXYZ news)

Mermaids and Mermen

Poznaniak, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Warsaw heraldry

- Many consider mermaids as fictional characters from fairy tales, however, they really do exist.
- These were the highly intelligent women on Earth who were turned into this sea creature at the same time the fallen angels converted the geniuses, philosophers, writers, mathematicians, into dolphins.
- Mermaids still exist but they hide themselves at the bottom of the ocean because they don't want to be detected.
- Knowing that men long ago knew they existed, however, they would be hunted and treated very ruthlessly in today's world.
- Mermen also exist and they were the humanly mates of the mermaids, but they were turned into these creatures to help calm the females.
- This is because the fallen angels feared the mermaids would cause trouble, although the mermen are not as advanced as the mermaids or the dolphins.

The more a thing is perfect, the more it feels pleasure and pain. (Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy)

Tony Woodcock as Carl Sagan

Anthony Ryan Woodcock July 1975	Carl Edward Sagan 1934-1996 11/9   12/20 Astronomer, planetary scientist and science communicator
Mr. X

- Long ago, there were government experiments attempting to establish communication with dolphins, however, these secretly continue on today in various other ways.
- In 1964, Margaret Lovatt joined the dolphin research lab run by Dr. John Lilly and Gregory Bateson in Florida.
- Carl Sagan and Frank Drake and others at NASA, hoping to communicate with alien species, were very interested.

Tony Woodcock as Frank Drake

Anthony Ryan Woodcock July 1975 Youtube Godrules2 Sons of Thunder	Frank Donald Drake 1930-2022 5/28   9/2 Pioneering radio astronomer and the founding father of SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence)
The Dragon (El Draco)

- Drake is most famous for creating the Drake Equation and spearheading humanity's first deliberate attempts to search for and communicate with alien civilizations.
- Formulated in 1961, this famous probabilistic argument is used to estimate the number of active, communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy.
- He designed and sent the first high-power, interstellar radio message humanity directed at the cosmos, transmitting a pictorial representation of human biology and mathematics toward the globular cluster M13.
- Working alongside Carl Sagan, Drake designed the Pioneer Plaque (flown aboard the Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft) and helped create the Voyager Golden Record.
- He served as the president and chairman of the board of trustees for the esteemed SETI Institute in California.

Developed by astronomer Frank Drake in 1961, the Drake Equation is a famous probabilistic thought experiment used to estimate the number of active, communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy. It breaks down the daunting mystery of alien life into seven smaller, more manageable scientific variables. (Assistant)

Jeff Bridges as Dr. John C. Lilly

Jeffrey Leon Bridges 1949 12/4 Actor and singer	John Cunningham Lilly 1915-2001 1/6   9/30 Physician, neuroscientist, psychoanalyst, psychonaut, philosopher, writer, and inventor
Einstein Jr.

- Dr. John C. Lilly grew obsessed with LSD and experiments on dolphins soon devolved into drugging them, and a sort of romantic relationship between Margaret and a dolphin named Peter that ended in Peter’s suicide after being separated from Margaret (and her manual stimulation.)
- Lilly's work inspired two movies, 1973’s Day Of The Dolphin, in which the Navy turns the animals into weapons, and 1980’s Altered States, in which scientists combining drugs and isolation tanks see reality dangerously unravel.
- Actor Jeff Bridges and neuroscientist John Lilly were close friends during the 1970s counterculture era.
- Bridges spent time as a test subject in Lilly’s pioneering isolation tanks and was heavily influenced by Lilly’s mind-expanding experiments, which introduced the actor to early meditative practices.
- Lilly, an icon of the era's psychedelic and alternative science scene and close friend of Timothy Leary, introduced Bridges to broader concepts of interspecies communication, consciousness expansion, and altered states.

Bridges openly discussed his profound friendship with the eccentric scientist decades later, even serving as a primary interviewee in the 2014 documentary The Girl Who Talked to Dolphins, which chronicled Lilly's ambitious but controversial attempts to communicate with cetaceans. (Assistant)