"Squish my melon and call me pretty"

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Scientists have been able to record 2500 "melon shapes" and are trying to match each to a corresponding context and meaning. It makes sense: these are social animals who rely on non-visual cues because they spend so much time in the dark, cold waters. It's just super-cool.

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More recently, we've learned that the deformable forehead fat is also used for social interactions, for flirting, fighting and other words starting with f. When in large groups of conspecifics, there's a social language to melon shapes produced that can indicate 'intent' to others.

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All toothed whales have this "melon" structure, but it's easier to see on the dolphin-like beluga's body because it's detached from skeletal supports & more 'flubbery'. The melon is just in front of "phonic lips" that act like vibrating vocal cords to produce the clicks & whistles.

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These ghosts of the deep can also control the shape with head jiggles, changes to momentum, which allows them to modulate distance & focus. The melon sits over the /top/ of the skull. Smooth beluga brain still good. Brain no go =squish=. Just /forehead melon/ go squish.

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