Apr 2024

Can our generation make Earth Day cool again? (Bonus from What On Earth)

The climate is changing. So are we. On What On Earth, you’ll explore a world of solutions with host Laura Lynch and our team of journalists. In 1970, 20 million people showed up to fight for the environment on the first Earth Day. More than five decades later, is it time for this ... Show More

29m 12s

Jun 2022

How do we fix recycling?

Tai tries to do his part by recycling whenever he can. But it turns out just tossing stuff into the blue bin doesn't do a whole lot: less than 10 percent of our plastic waste actually gets recycled, with the rest either ending up in landfill, burned or shipped overseas! How did w ... Show More

30m 46s

Jun 2022

Why do we laugh?

Laughing makes us feel real good, whether you’re in on the joke or not. But does it serve a specific purpose? Why do we find some jokes hilarious and others to be total groaners? In this episode, Tai peels the science and sociology of laughter down to its evolutionary roots. In t ... Show More

25m 45s

Jul 2021

Why do songs get stuck in our heads?

You know that feeling where you get a snippet of a song stuck in your head and it loops over and over? Those hard to shake songs are also known as earworms, and in this episode Molly has a particularly sticky one in her brain. We'll find out why some songs are catchier than other ... Show More

32m 40s

Jul 2022

Why is this song stuck in my head?

You have probably experienced an ‘earworm’ - a catchy bit of music that plays round and round in your head and won’t go away – at least for a short while. But why did it pop up in the first place and how did it get stuck?CrowdScience listener Ryota in Japan wants us to ... Show More

32m 33s

Feb 2025

Why Do Songs Get Stuck in Your Head?

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 ... Show More

19m 57s

Today

Pourquoi certaines chansons vous restent-elles dans la tête ?

Si certaines chansons vous restent dans la tête, c'est à cause de votre cerveau. Mais ça vous vous en doutiez un peu. Alors pourquoi il fait revenir des chansons en tête ? Et de préférence les plus pourries (hashtag entêtantes) ? Hébergé par Audion. Visitez https://www.audion.fm/ ... Show More

2m 5s

Sep 2023

Whomst Among Us Let the Dogs Out AGAIN

All kinds of songs get stuck in your head. Famous pop tunes from when you were a kid, album cuts you've listened to over and over again. And then there's a category of memorable songs—the ones that we all just kind of know. Songs that somehow, without anyone’s permission, snea ... Show More

38m 42s

Oct 2021

Ep 28: Why songs get stuck in our heads

Why do some songs get stuck in our heads? 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

24m 59s

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

5m 9s

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

How does a song get stuck in your head?