Josh McDermott is a University of Minnesota scientist who studies sound, music, and the brain. Last month McDermott treated a sold-out Bryant-Lake Bowl crowd to a fascinating presentation on “The ...

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — On the stage, he goes by Roy G. Biv. He says the “G” stands for Gary. But in “everyday life,” Walker Smith is a self-proclaimed musical chemist. The Knoxville native has combined ...

The scientific literature considers music either as an abstract stimulus, devoid of explicit meaning, or a universal language. Music listening rarely involves exclusive focus on the sounds themselves.

It’s axiomatic in the commercial theater that two shows always sell: “Fiddler on the Roof” and “The Sound of Music.” Why? Both are beloved works of genius that are generous when it comes to human ...

I have just replaced Albert Einstein (a.d. 1879–1955) with Pythagoras (570–490 b.c.) as the one person, living or dead, with whom I would like to have dinner. That is quite a turnaround for me, since ...

The iconic shower scene in Psycho was originally supposed to play out without music. Instead composer Bernard Herrmann created “The Murder”: as the killing transpires, violins shriek and scream along ...

Beeping alarms in hospitals are a life-or-death matter—but with so many going off all the time, medical professionals may experience alarm fatigue that impairs care. Researchers now report that ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I drove up to my first sound bath experience not knowing quite what ...

The Aztec skull whistle produces a shrill, screaming sound. A study shows that these whistles have a disturbing effect on the human brain. The Aztecs may have deliberately used this effect in ...