Articles tagged with Sound
Visitors to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center will enjoy live performances by country, rock, pop, and gospel artists while exploring rocket firings, space exhibits, and facility tours. The event also features appearances by NASA astronauts and real space flight hardware.
Researchers at University of Illinois find that brain cells respond differently to rapid sound pulses compared to slow ones. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the hearing system and could lead to more efficient building blocks for better hearing aids.
Researchers found that only two out of 32 classrooms met the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association guidelines for background noise level and reverberation time. Background noise was a significant problem in classrooms, with levels ranging from 28 to 68 decibels, and reverberations lasting between 0.2 and 1.27 seconds.
Scientists at the University of Michigan used spatial illusion to study how the brain processes sound. By analyzing neural activity in cats and humans, researchers found that the auditory systems use similar spectral characteristics to determine sound locations.
USGS scientists Mike Fisher and Art Frankel will discuss the potential effects of major quakes in Seattle using data from last year's SHIPS project. Scientists from other organizations will also describe the probabilities for a large earthquake in the Puget Sound area.
Researchers analyzing humpback whale calls with information theory claim the animals may have a hierarchical grammar. The study measured entropy in the songs, finding predictable sequences of sounds that hint at complex communication.
Dr. Joseph Nagyvary discovers that 17th and 18th century Italian violin makers used brine-soaked wood, resulting in vibrant tonal quality. His chemically treated violins are praised by international concert violinists.
Researchers found that echo-like sounds made by the inner ears of homosexual and bisexual women are weaker than those of heterosexual women, suggesting masculinization of brain structures responsible for sexual preference. The study indicates the potential value of non-invasive windows into brain development and sexual differentiation.
Researchers have discovered that individual neurons in the brain can be compared to tiny computers that analyze and integrate information from different sources. These findings have implications for improving hearing aids, sonar devices, and speech recognition systems.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found that birds can accurately pick out and concentrate on specific bird songs mixed with other songs, even during the 'dawn chorus'. This ability, known as the 'cocktail party effect', is similar to humans' ability to focus on one voice in a noisy environment.