logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2021
8m 48s

From silence to cacophony, here's how yo...

NPR
About this episode
It can be hard enough to answer the question, "what kind of music do you like?" But how about "why do you like it?" That's one of the many questions about the human brain and sound that neuroscientist Nina Kraus set out to answer in her book Of Sound Mind. In this interview with NPR's Ari Shapiro, she breaks down the science behind what our brains do when they process sound, and how it differs for each of us.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Yesterday
Brandy Norwood and Arsenio Hall's memoirs look back on careers that defined the '90s
Two figures who defined ‘90s culture are out with new memoirs. First, Brandy Norwood is a Grammy-winning singer and made history as the first Black actress to play a Disney princess on screen. In today’s episode, she speaks with NPR’s A Martínez about her memoir Phases, her belov ... Show More
15m 56s
Apr 16
For her new novel about boy bands, Emma Straub took a page from New Kids on the Block
A few years ago, author Emma Straub saw a story about New Kids on the Block hosting a tropical cruise for their fans. That planted the seed for Straub, whose new novel, American Fantasy, is about a fictional, aging boy band called Boy Talk that sets sail for five days of nostalgi ... Show More
4m 28s
Apr 15
'Labor' is a memoir by a doctor who traveled the country with a mobile OB-GYN clinic
Twenty years into her medical career, Dr. Mary Fariba Afsari, a board-certified OBGYN, had grown increasingly frustrated with the medical profession. She felt that medicine had become more about business and less about caring for patients. Her new memoir, Labor: One Woman’s Work, ... Show More
9m 52s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2021
Your Brain Is Not What You Think It Is, with Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD
What if the way you think about your brain and how and why it functions is just plain wrong? Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, a professor of psychology at Northeastern University and author of the book “7 ½ Lessons About the Brain,” discusses myths about the brain and her theory that i ... Show More
38m 39s
Dec 2010
Can music rebuild my brain?
<p>It's been said that music has the power to soothe savage beasts, but what scientific impact does music have on humans? In this episode, Julie and Robert explore the influence of music on human brain cells -- and whether it can actually rebuild your brain.</p><p> </p> Learn mor ... Show More
31m 34s
Oct 2021
How do we make sense of the sounds around us?
Our colleagues at All Things Considered chatted with neuroscientist Nina Kraus about her new book Of Sound Mind. She shares how our brains process and create meaning from the sounds around us. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for s ... Show More
9m 4s
Dec 2022
How our brain makes sense of a noisy world, with Nina Kraus, PhD
Our life experiences shape the way that our brain processes sound, and sound is deeply intertwined with everything from our ability to read to our cognitive health as we age. Dr. Nina Kraus, of Northwestern University, talks about why we undervalue our sense of hearing; why music ... Show More
34m 40s
Jun 2021
9 Amazing Things About Your Brain and Music
There is absolutely no need for music—speaking in terms of evolution, anyway… As far as scientists can tell, there’s no compelling reason for humans to make and enjoy music…neurologically, we could get along quite well without it…sure, our world would be very dull, but we’d be ... Show More
33m 44s
Apr 2022
The Power of Music
Have you ever gone through a breakup and listened to a sad song on repeat? Why do we have such strong emotional connections to music? Well, the answer lies in our brains. On this episode, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to Professor Assal Habibi, a pianis ... Show More
25m 30s
Dec 2022
The Power of Sound
Close your eyes and just listen. Even if you aren’t actively thinking about the noises happening around you, your brain is constantly processing sound. That’s because, unlike your eyes, your ears never close. In fact, Northwestern neurobiology professor Nina Kraus, says listening ... Show More
30m 9s
Oct 2023
Adam Blum et al., "Here I'm Alive: The Spirit of Music in Psychoanalysis" (Columbia UP, 2023)
Today we have a group session (read: an hour and a half) with the authors Adam Blum, Peter Goldberg, and Michal Levin discussing their new book Here I’m Alive: The Spirit of Music in Psychoanalysis (Columbia University Press, 2023). Acknowledging that “We’re not the first to thin ... Show More
1h 37m
Apr 2022
How sound becomes hearing
We love listening to music at a ridiculous level of detail. But the other day we heard a podcast that made us fundamentally question the accuracy and reliability of our own listening skills. In it they played a familiar melody, “Yankee Doodle,” in such a way that we couldn’t reco ... Show More
40m 46s