logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2021
9m 4s

How do we make sense of the sounds aroun...

NPR
About this episode
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 sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
Up next
Yesterday
Could virtual reality speed up learning?
Does swinging a lightsaber help us learn? New research from Florida Atlantic University and Brown University found that movement dramatically helps with certain kinds of complex learning. The research was published in the journal Science Advances. Interested in more science invol ... Show More
9m 47s
Oct 30
Is your favorite crime show rooted in fake science?
If you’ve ever seen a crime show, you probably know how the plot unfolds: A victim is found, an investigation ensues and police conduct a high-stakes search for the culprit. Detectives and crime lab techs collect hair, examine bullet casings and photograph bloodstains. But just h ... Show More
14m 41s
Oct 28
MAHA’s midterm report card
It’s been just over two years since the rise of Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA. The movement united a coalition of moms, wellness influencers and voters across the political spectrum over concerns about chronic illness and childhood diseases. And when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. t ... Show More
13m 8s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2021
From silence to cacophony, here's how your brain makes sense of the world
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 ... Show More
8m 48s
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
Jul 2022
How We Hear
How do we hear? What parts of our brain respond to sound? And how can we use vibrations to expand the way we enjoy music? In this episode of How We’re Wired, join evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin on a sensory journey exploring the world of sound, and how we hear it. We’ ... Show More
33m 38s
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
May 2022
Listen Again: Sound And Silence
Original broadcast date: Friday, October 16, 2020. Sound surrounds us, from cacophony even to silence. But depending on how we hear, the world can be a different auditory experience for each of us. This hour, TED speakers explore the science of sound. Guests on the show include N ... Show More
50m 27s
Jun 2022
Relearning Boléro: How our brains rewrite the sounds we hear
In the same way that optical illusions can trick our eyes, auditory illusions can trick our ears. This raises a serious question: what is hearing, and how much of it is actually made up by our brains? In this story from the Unexplainable podcast, we explore how our brains create ... Show More
38m 7s
Feb 2025
Soundtracks of our lives
From our favorite songs to our own voices, we're surrounded by sound all day. But how does all this noise affect our emotions and behavior? This hour, TED speakers explore how sound shapes our lives. Guests include musician and professor of songwriting Scarlet Keys, AI CEO Pierre ... Show More
49m 38s