Scientists have captured the first-ever footage of sperm whales headbutting each other, documenting a behavior long described by sailors but never previously confirmed. Sperm whales — also known as “Moby Dick” whales — have historically been blamed for ramming ships. Accounts from ship captains over centuries describe whales striking vessels and each other — including the 1820 sinking of the whaling ship Essex, reportedly by a 26-meter sperm whale. This sinking later inspired Herman Melville’s novel Moby Dick. Despite these reports, the species has remained difficult to study, and biologists have long debated whether deliberate headbutting actually occurs between sperm whales. Now, researchers from the University of St Andrews say they have captured the first recorded footage of the behavior and observed it directly in the water.…