Feature

Your brain on music

Music lights up almost every area of the brain, which shouldn’t be a surprise since it makes people tap their feet, encourages the recollection of vivid memories and has the potential to lighten the mood. Around the outside 1. Prefrontal cortex: This brain region plays a role in the creation, satisfaction and violation of expectations. […]

Songs from the Stone Age

No one knows for sure whether music played a key role in human evolution or came about as a kind of ear candy. But there are several scientifically inspired proposals for the origins of music, some included below. Da ya think I’m sexy?  Charles Darwin, an avid music fan, suggested in 1871 that humans’ tunes […]

Evidence of ancient roots

Though early hominids may have made sweet sounds by banging sticks and stones together, the oldest distinguishable instrument dates to 40,000 years ago.