logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2025
40m 18s

The Sound Barrier #1: The myth of hearin...

Vox
About this episode
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 University of California, San Diego; Matthew Winn, professor at the Universi ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
Big news!
Unexplainable is coming to Netflix! Starting Monday, July 13. For show transcripts, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unxtranscripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠For more, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unexplainable⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠And please email us! ⁠⁠⁠unexplainable@vox.com⁠⁠⁠We read every email.Support Une ... Show More
3m 3s
Jul 6
Are we all living in an enormous black hole?
It’s possible that the entire observable universe is inside a black hole. All we need to do in order to find out is … build a gigantic particle collider around the moon. (Originally aired in 2024) Guest: James Beacham, particle physicist at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN For s ... Show More
25m 37s
Jun 29
Risky business
As the world gets warmer and storms get worse, insurance companies are jacking up rates or refusing to cover homeowners altogether. Is the future uninsurable? (Originally aired in 2024). Guests: Umair Irfan, climate reporter; Karen Clark, co-founder and CEO of Karen Clark & Compa ... Show More
29m 47s
Recommended Episodes
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
40m 37s
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
Mar 2023
How do my ears sense direction?
<p>How do we hear a sound and immediately know where it’s coming from? </p><p>That’s the question that CrowdScience listener Chiletso asked himself one day as he heard his son bounce a ball and instantly knew its direction. In this ear-opening episode, presenter Anand Jagatia set ... Show More
37 m
Apr 2024
How do my ears sense direction?
How do we know where a sound is coming from? Another chance to hear this ear-opening episode, exploring a question from CrowdScience listener Chiletso. One day, he heard his son bounce a ball and instantly knew the direction it was travelling. How? Anand Jagatia sets out to disco ... Show More
32m 44s
Feb 2025
The Science of Illusion with Teller
<p>Why does magic fool us so easily? Is our perception of reality just an illusion? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-host Gary O’Reilly explore the neuroscience behind magic with magician Teller (of Penn & Teller) and neuroscientist Susana Martinez-Conde.</p><p>NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons ... Show More
50m 59s
Feb 2023
199: The Science of Tinnitus (with Jamie Loxton)
Can you hear that? If so, you might have tinnitus... The wonderful Jamie Loxton joins us this week as we work our way through the science of this phantom sound!Check out Jamie's podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3z2IExquSAcjMontKCFYrn?si=e57152b210314c63Grab our merch now: h ... Show More
1 h
Dec 2011
The Science of Sound
Robin Ince and Brian Cox head north for the second time this series, and take residence for one episode in the BBC Philharmonic's headquarters to talk about the science of sound. They are joined by the University of Salford's acoustic expert Professor Trevor Cox, neuroscientist P ... Show More
28m 12s
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