logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2022
38m 7s

Relearning Boléro: How our brains rewrit...

DALLAS TAYLOR
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Oct 19
How ​modern Music Supervisors ​craft the ​perfect Needle Drop
In Part 2 of our deep dive into needle drops, Dallas, Casey and Grace uncover more surprising stories behind some of cinema’s most unforgettable song choices. From a fiercely contested track that became a ‘90s comedy staple, to Quentin Tarantino’s habit of raiding old movie sound ... Show More
54m 58s
Oct 12
Needle Drops: How pop songs first started showing up in movies
When a filmmaker pairs a scene with the perfect song, the results can become iconic. But when and how did movies start using popular music this way? In this episode, Dallas, Casey and Grace trace the history of “needle drops,” from a forgotten Broadway song that became an unlikel ... Show More
42m 7s
Oct 5
Guess That Sound: Video Game Edition
For a special video game edition of our Guess That Sound competition, we invited three game audio experts to test their ears on 18 sounds from gaming history. Play along as they identify iconic fanfares, weapons, spells, power-ups, and some seriously tricky deep cuts. Who will cl ... Show More
47m 32s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2022
Making Sense: How sound becomes hearing
In the same way optical illusions trick our eyes, audio illusions can trick our ears. This raises a fundamental question: What is hearing, and how much of it is made up by our brains? This is the first episode of our new six-part series, Making Sense. You can find more of Diana D ... Show More
40m 14s
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
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
Nov 2025
The Sound Barrier #1: The myth of hearing
Just like optical illusions trick our eyes, audio illusions can trick our ears. It makes scientists wonder: What exactly are we hearing, when we're hearing? This is the first episode of our new four-part series, The Sound Barrier. Guests: Diana Deutsch, emeritus professor at the ... Show More
40m 18s
Mar 2011
Musical Hallucinations Gone Wild
<p>Have you ever had a musical hallucination? Not a song stuck in your head - but a genuine hallucination, real enough to completely fool your senses? Join Robert and Julie as they explore the causes of musical hallucinations.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a hr ... Show More
16m 22s
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
Nov 2025
The Sound Barrier #2: The noise that isn't there
Almost 15% of adults suffer from a persistent, often intolerable sound... that is literally just in their heads. Why does the brain do this to us? We help one of our listeners get some answers. This is the second episode of our new four-part series, The Sound Barrier. Guests: Sté ... Show More
33m 39s
Mar 2014
A Musical Time Machine for the Brain
<p>A Musical Time Machine for the Brain: What is music doing to our perception of time? It seems to transport us to the past. It speeds things up and slows things down. And just how do others exploit these qualities to manipulate us? Find out in this episode of Stuff to Blow Your ... Show More
37m 24s
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
Dec 2021
Music and Memory
We all know music can influence our moods, but can it actually boost our memory? How do musical memories emerge at the borders of identity, experience and culture? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe explore these questions and discuss the curious ways we r ... Show More
58m 28s