Have you ever had a song continue to loop in your brain no matter how hard you tried to shake it? These “earworms” are more than just an annoyance—they’re a phenomenon scientists have studied for years. This episode dives into what makes certain melodies stick, why some tunes are more persistent than others and what our listeners shared as their most unforge ... Show More
Today
Unexplainable: What happened before the big bang?
In this special crossover episode, Science Quickly shares an appearance by host Rachel Feltman on Vox’s Unexplainable. Together with host Noam Hassenfeld, she explores Scientific American’s special issue on impossible questions, diving into some of science’s biggest mysteries, fr ... Show More
26m 14s
Oct 2021
Why Music Sticks in Our Brains
Why do some songs can stick with us for a long time, even when other memories start to fade? Science reporter (and former Short Wave intern) Rasha Aridi explains the neuroscience behind that surprising moment of, "Wow, how do I still remember that song?!" Email the show at shortw ... Show More
13m 24s
Jun 2020
Please Don’t Stop the Music
Have an earworm? That same tune that keeps playing over and over — whether it’s actually music, a thought that won’t leave you alone, or a story that just keeps replaying in your mind. Rather than fighting it, what would happen today if you gave that noise your full attention? Le ... Show More
4m 39s
<p><!-- wp:paragraph --></p> <p><strong>Why do some songs get stuck in our heads?</strong> In this episode, our presenter <a href= "https://www.ginnysmithscience.com/">Ginny Smith</a> explores the psychology of earworms. Ginny hears about the possible evolutionary reasons for why ... Show More
