Escape Pod: #3 Music: the jazz swing of birdsong and the sonification of the orbits of planets

This is a re-airing of a podcast originally released in February 2021.

This episode is all about music, so today’s journey of escapism comes complete with odd, relaxing, soothing and interesting sounds to guide you through.

The team opens with the sounds of animals, specifically the singing - if you can call it that - of gorillas, and the jazzy birdsong of the thrush.

They then treat you to the sounds of data sonification, courtesy of Milton Mermikides, who translates motion into music, like the swinging of a pendulum, the crystallisation of salt, or the orbits of planets.

Finally they tackle the small matter of just why exactly it is we humans love music so much.

On the podcast are Rowan Hooper, Bethan Ackerley and Timothy Revell.

Find out more at newscientist.com/podcasts