How playing an instrument benefits your brain...

Can anyone become happier? Psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky studies this question in her lab, doing experiments on "happiness interventions" to see what kinds of actions elicit this sought-after emotion. In a quick talk, she shares the results of her work: a small shift that can ch ...  Show more

Hip-hop often gets blamed for its controversial lyrics. What if there was a way to actually measure its impact on people's lives? Analyzing 40 years' worth of radio station data and lyrics from rappers like Tupac, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar, economist Roland Fryer puts one ...  Show more

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.

Quels pouvoirs émotionnels à la musique ? Avez-vous déjà été étonné de voir qu’une musique pouvait vous transporter autant physiquement qu’émotionnellement ? Existe-t-il une musique qui vous replonge immédiatement dans un souvenir ? Est-ce qu’elle vous rappelle la personne avec q ...  Show more

Humans have been making music for thousands of years, but for Michael Mosley and our volunteer Matthew, the musical journey is only just beginning. Playing a musical instrument has been shown to strengthen your memory and lift your mood. It can even reduce chronic inflammation. D ...  Show more

Why do some songs get stuck in our heads? In this episode, our presenter Ginny Smith explores the psychology of earworms. Ginny hears about the possible evolutionary reasons for why ...