Scienceline

How does emotional music affect musicians?

Lots of research has tried to break down how music toys with the emotions of any audience, but have you ever thought about how music makes the musicians playing it feel? A group of researchers from Italy recently noticed this gap in the science and decided to answer it. They found that when violinists play more emotional pieces, their bow movements are rougher. Nicola di Stefano, the cognitive scientist who led the study, thinks that this effect might come from musicians reacting strongly to the emotions in the pieces they play. He suggests that psychological pressure is the root cause. Professional violinist Curtis Macomber, though, doesn't see these results echoed in reality. He thinks of emotion as an overwhelmingly positive tool in his arsenal, something that makes his playing better, rather than worse. While Nicola and his team found that emotions can hamper a violinist, Curt actually looks forward to encountering them. Listen in as we dive into how playing emotional pieces affects musicians. Music: • Bach - Prelude and Fugue in C minor - BWV 847 - The Well-Tempered Clavier, No. 2 - Arranged for Strings [Gregor Quendel | Free Music Archive] • Mozart - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik / Serenade No. 13 - KV 525.mp3 [Gregor Quendel | Free Music Archive] • György Kurtág - Kafka Fragmente op. 24 [Divertimento Ensemble]

It’s a whale of a problem: Can we lower the volume from Arctic ships?

Have you ever wanted to take a trip to the Arctic? Every year, tourists from around the world make their way to the region. But the ships carrying these tourists bring an invisible pollutant with them — one that’s impossible to see and impossible to ignore: noise. How does this unseen phenomenon affect animals that call the Arctic home? And what role do even the most environmentally conscious travelers play in this story? Researchers and cruise industry officials are working to uncover the answers. Join us as we dive into this noisy crisis and hear from the experts navigating its challenges — and exploring ways to protect the Arctic’s pristine, icy wilderness. Check the associated article on Scienceline.org Music: "Cold Summers", "Digital Compass", "Arctic Draba" by Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY-NC 4.0

When city rivers get wild

It’s no secret that rivers winding through major cities have been reshaped by human hands. Where wildlife and marshes once existed, gray sidewalks and bleak straight-lined tributaries have blossomed. Now, some cities are implementing floating wetlands — native plant life on a body of biodegradable materials that bobs on top of the water — to address a budding desire to see animals and greenery return to their rivers.  In this podcast episode, Jenaye Johnson speaks with scientists and community members in Chicago about the Wild Mile — the city's biggest floating wetland to date. Join her as she winds down the Chicago River, explores the wetlands and discusses the future of new animal habitats and clean water in our urban spaces. And check out the associated article on Scienceline: https://scienceline.org/2024/06/wilding-city-rivers/ Music used: "Glue&Glia" by Rah Hite | CC BY 4.0 "Floating Wetlands" by Rah Hite | CC BY 4.0 "Lo Margin" by Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY-NC 4.0 "The Maison" by Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY-NC 4.0

What Was New York’s New Robocop?

Meet the newest robotic police officer in town: the Knightscope K5. This “Robocop” completed a two month trial period in New York City’s Times Square subway station from September to November of 2023, recording video and monitoring the station. But despite city officials promising its safety, people were understandably nervous about a robotic police officer.  The robot’s trial period has ended and the K5 will not be re-entering the subway system, but it still serves as an important window to the future of robots integrating into our society.  In this podcast Kohava Mendelsohn talks to experts, does some research and even ventures forth to visit the K5 herself in order to answer the important questions: What was this robotic cop? What could it actually do? And how worried should we be about it? And check out the article on Scienceline: https://scienceline.org/2024/04/nyc-robocop/ MUSIC: "Tall Journey" by Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY-NC 4.0  "Turning to You" by Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY-NC 4.0  "The Gran Dias" by Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY-NC 4.0  "Pewter Lamp" by Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY-NC 4.0

(Math + Art) × Fun = Mathemalchemy!

Boredom under COVID quarantine led many to pursue some strange side hobby, but for 24 mathematicians and artists, it resulted in Mathemalchemy — a collective of mathematically (aesthetically, too) charming pieces of art — from cryptographic quilts, huge parabolas of embroidered spheres, crochet theta curves caught in fishing nets, and murals of OctoPi, seen generating various wave-related equations per every water ripple. For the “Mathemalchemists,” their project is a lively, whimsical invitation into the world of mathematics, made for an audience of all ages and interests. The goal is to illustrate how math can be fun — not something schools force you to do, but something that leaves you inspired. So, how did this project come to be? What makes Mathemalchemy so special, both for the Mathemalchemists and anyone that comes across the exhibition? In this podcast, Gayoung Lee goes behind the scenes of Mathemalchemy with co-founders Ingrid Daubechies and Dominique Ehrmann, in addition to Mathemalchemists Jessica Sklar, Elizabeth Paley and Carolyn Yackel. MUSIC: “Pglet Into” by Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY-NC 4.0  “The Gran Dias” by Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY-NC 4.0  “Spring Cleaning” by Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY-NC 4.0