The American Mathematical Society’s Mathematical Moments program promotes appreciation and understanding of the role mathematics plays in science, nature, technology, and human culture. Listen to researchers talk about how they use math, from creating realistic animation to beating cancer.
Dr. Outi Tervo of Greenland Institute for Natural Resources, shares how mathematics helps recommend speed limits for marine vessels, which benefits narwhals and Inuit culture.
Narwhals “can only be found in the Arctic,” said Outi Tervo, a senior scientist at GINR. “These species are going to be threatened by climate change more than other species that can live in a bigger geographical area.” The collaboration has already lobbied on behalf of the narwhals to reduce the level of sea traffic in their habitat, after using mathematical analysis to identify how noise from passing boats changes the narwhals’ foraging behavior.
