Part of the charm of a seal is its whiskery face, but those whiskers are not just decorative. A fascinating new article reveals that they are astonishingly sensitive and can be used to track prey over long distances.

It’s long been known that seals (Phocidae) use their whiskers to detect things underwater - a useful skill, especially when visibility is reduced to zero. But until recently nobody knew just how sensitive they were. It now appears that they can pick up the turbulence left in the wake of a herring swimming 180 meters away!

A seal’s whiskers are obviously exquisitely sensitive - and are therefore well supplied with sensory nerves. But that’s not the whole story. The shape of their whiskers also seems to be significant. Rather than being simple, tubular structures like a human hair, they have curious undulating contours along their length. These increase their ability to detect the minute vortices that persist for a long time after a fish has swum by.

Scientists are interested in harnessing these discoveries to develop ‘autonomous underwater vehicles’ (i.e. robotic submarines) that can mimic the seal’s amazing tracking skills. No doubt the military are paying attention too.