Do frogs get all high-voiced when they breathe in some helium, the way people do? A research study explores that very question, and we explore that study, in this week’s Improbable Research podcast. SUBSCRIBE on Play.it, iTunes, or Spotify to get a new episode every week, free. This week, Marc Abrahams discusses a published helium-filled study, with dramatic readings from Dany Adams, a biology professor at Tufts University […]
Tag: resonance
Effect of Skull Shape and Size on Musical Preference
Your skull, as much as what’s in it, may affect your musical taste — you may dislike a song because your head is too big (or too small) — suggests this study: “Music of the Body: An investigation of skull resonance and its influence on musical preference,” Jitwipar Suwangbutra, Rachelle Tobias and Michael S. Gordon […]
Acoustical fears force cancellation of heavy metal concert at museum
Fear that the sonic effects of live heavy metal music* would destroy exhibits and perhaps part of the building led the Victoria and Albert Museum, in London, to cancel a scheduled performance by the musical group Napalm Death. The concert was scheduled to happen this Friday night, but now is not. Details are in The […]
Resonance: Aerobic exercisers shake skyscraper
Resonance is a simple physics concept (which can be expressed in lovely mathematics). Two Korean news reports tell about a recent example: Aerobic exercise blamed for tremor at Techno-Mart A form of aerobic exercise performed by dozens of people caused the vertical vibration felt in certain floors at Techno-Mart, a 39-story shopping mall in Gwangjin-gu, […]