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May 21st, 2009

 
Music and Evolution: Music and the Neanderthal’s Communication
Scientist Stephen Mithen offers his theory that, while Neanderthals had no actual language, they communicated through music.
May 21st, 2009

 
Music and the Brain: Are Humans Wired for Music?
Oliver Sacks discusses how the human brain is wired for language and how this may apply to the human capacity for music.
May 21st, 2009

 
Physics of Sound: Harmonics and The Unified Theory
Brian Greene explains how music can be used to describe String Theory, what some physicists have conjectured may be the answer to finding Einstein's Unified Theory.
May 21st, 2009

 
Music and Medicine: Music Therapy for Infants
Dr. Joanne Loewy demonstrates the use of the Gato box, which can replicate the sound of the mother's heartbeat, for music therapy administered to infants.
May 21st, 2009

 
Music and Medicine: Flute Therapy
At Beth Israel hospital in New York, doctors are experimenting with using the music of the flute to measure the impact of music therapy on patients with chronic lung disease.
May 21st, 2009

 
Music and Medicine: Music Therapy for Neurological Conditions
Concetta Tomaino explains how music therapy can have exciting results for patients with neurological conditions because of the enriched sensory stimulus that it allows.
May 21st, 2009

 
Music and Evolution: David Rothenberg on Bird Songs
David Rothernberg takes discussion of bird songs a step further than biological imperative, and recognizes these tunes distinct to each species as music.
May 21st, 2009

 
Music and Evolution: The Elitism of Music in the West
Stephen Mithen questions the elitism that has been associated with music in the west, instead observing that music is something that pervades everything we do.
May 21st, 2009

 
Music and Evolution: Ofer Tchernichovski on Bird’s Songs
Scientist Ofer Tchernichovski takes a look at how birds are hard wired for songs and how this innate instinct in birds can be applied to music and song development.
May 21st, 2009

 
Physics of Sound: Intervals and Harmonics
Brian Greene explains how the harmonies and relationships you hear between notes can all be broken down mathematically.
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The Music Instinct: Science and Song is a co-production of THIRTEEN for WNET.ORG and Mannes Productions Inc., in association with ARTE/France, NDR, Australian Broadcasting Corporation with the participation of YLE. Award-winning filmmaker Elena Mannes is writer, director. Narrator is Audra MacDonald. Executive Producers are Elena Mannes and Margaret Smilow. Available in HD. Major funding for this program provided by the National Science Foundation, Mary Rodgers Guettel, NAMM FOUNDATION, National Endowment for the Arts, Rita and Fritz Markus, The Vital Projects Fund, the Irving Harris Foundation, Sono and Victor Elmaleh, Thea Petschek Iervolino and public television viewers.

Produced by WNET.ORG   ©2026 WNET.ORG Properties, LLC. All Rights Reserved.