<< First the wavelength for sound is quite large (longer than one meter)
and absorbtion/reflection based analytical methods can only resolve
details of about the same order of magnitude as the wavelength used. >>
Dolphins can:
detect eels wriggling about underneath a muddy seabed
tell the difference between two metal drums, identical except that their
walls differ in thickness by a few tenths of a millimetre.
tell the difference between a fresh fish and one that isn't quite so nice (apparently without using any cues other than what they can tell from sonar)
This seems good enough to be darksense to me.
<<Bats and dolphins probably don't actually find out what it is they've got
until it's in their mouths.>>
Not so.
<<Submarines use sonar to find very large objects like ships and subs, have a
lot of trouble with even tiny changes in the density of the water their
trying to sound through, >>
Which is why the US Navy is sponsoring research to find out why their sonar equipment is so inferior to that found in nature.
For the scientifically inclined, there was a neat article in the 28th June issue of New Scientist (from which the above facts come) explaining how dolphin 'darksense' may actually work.
On darksense as ranged taste:
<<Since this sense is entirely unknown in the RW there are no technical
arguements to make. <snip> Uz get the full flavor of what ever they scan.
<snip> And for more detail, to search for example, the Uz can always stick
out her tongue.>>
Sounds like a RW Jacobson's organ to me. So I fear you may not be safe from technical arguments.
<<The length of the snout means the receptors are spaced far enough apart to
give depth
perception.>>
Sorry... I don't think I follow how this would work.
Forward the glorious Red Army!
Trotsky
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