Tag: sound

• The Quietest Room on Earth

  Inside a building in Minneapolis, there is a room so quiet that people believe an hour inside will drive anyone mad. It is so quiet, they say, that you will hear the sound of your own internal organs. A writer from the New York Times recently decided to put that claim to the test by breaking the record for the longest stay inside. Jeff and Anthony look at the history of anechoic chambers, and decide how long they could last in the deafening silence. [more]

  January 12, 2023Episodes

• What’s in a Name and Slowing Dopamine Fasts

  The maluma-takete effect is the perception that certain kinds of sounds should be attributed to certain physical features. Sonorant sounds like you find in o and b and m tend to be related to rounder, softer, and more generous qualities, while shorter sounds like you find in k, t, or i are associated with spiky, more outgoing traits. Jeff and Anthony discuss this phenomenon and try to decide if they have the right kinds of sounds in their own names. Then, a new trend has developed in Silicone Valley of Dopamine Fasting. Is it based on science or pseudo-science? Anthony and Jeff dig into the evidence. [more]

  May 10, 2021Episodes

• Artificial Photosynthesis, an Old Dog, and New Picks

  Researchers have developed a standalone device that converts sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into a carbon-neutral fuel, without requiring any additional components or electricity. Anthony and Jeff discuss how this might be an encouraging new way to combat climate change. Then, Jeff tries 2 stories to see which Anthony enjoys more. The first is perfectly preserved evidence of a 14,000 year old canine that had eaten a much larger animal. The second is a new way to clone a key from just the sound of it entering a lock. Which story will Anthony respond to more? [more]

  August 28, 2020Episodes

• Sight off the Bat

  While hunting for dinner, the big brown bat must hone in on flitting insects and keep track of its surroundings to avoid crashing into them. Now, scientists have taken a peek at what’s going on in these bats’ brains while they swoop and dive. They identified a brain region that helps the animals map where objects are in relation to their own bodies, and saw that individual brain cells changed their behavior while the bats focused their attention on a particular object. The findings could help us understand certain aspects of attention issues in people as well as how bats and animals navigate while on the move. Jeff and Anthony check with their doctors to see if Batterall is right for them. [more]

  April 25, 2018Episodes

• Crash Ear

  Crash safety technology has come a long way in the past decade or so, with cars that now sense an impending crash and can prepare the driver for impact or even attempt to avoid a collision entirely. Current Mercedes cars even go so far as to provide your ears with an extra layer of audio protection. It’s called “pink noise” and it’s designed to keep your hearing intact after being bombarded by the extremely loud sounds typically associated with a vehicle crash. Jeff and Anthony wonder what this show is doing to their listeners' hearing. [more]

  April 20, 2018Episodes