Binurual Beats

[IWishIKnew]

No, I don't mean like that.

I mean literally. Vibrating air does not create electromagnetic fields.

[chrisname]

What are you talking about?

[devonrevenge]

brainwaves are electric fields, the binureal beats are music simlar to electric fields, i dont think hearing is rigged up to brainwaves either which is why im sceptical about the whole thing

[Lachlan Easton]

I mean literally. Vibrating air does not create electromagnetic fields.

No, but vibrating air can stimulate the nerves in your ear that turn the sounds into electrical signals.

[htirwin]

Interestingly brain waves frequencies are very close to sound frequencies. Human hearing is about in the range, 20Hz to 20 kHz. Brain wave frequencies are about in the range, 100Hz to 70kHz.

I wouldn't say brain waves are electric fields. There are charges in the brain which produce electric fields that we can measure, but brain waves are more like patterns of brain activity; related to the synchronization of firing patterns and potentials. It's probably extremely complex and not fully understood.

Aside from binaural beats which I know very little about, I have always been intrigued by how strongly music can effect the mood of a person. Very interesting things happen when you measure peoples brain activity while they listen to music. Our brains are very highly evolved to react instinctually to sound. It helps us communicate, perceive danger, and so on. Subconscious interpretation of music is closely tied to emotion as well.

I have also noticed that media is getting more and more scientific in their sound design enabling them to take advantage of the psychological power of sound. This is especially noticeable in reality television. Next time you watch a reality tv show, pay attention to the music. This stuff was designed in a scientific setting to produce specific kinds of brain activity.

[IWishIKnew]

I'm sorry, but I still think the characters are asshats in those shows, and flip the channel accordingly, regardless of the sound in the background.

Sound doesn't affect the brain. You affect the brain. You let yourself get entranced.

[Lachlan Easton]

Sound doesn't affect the brain.

??? Um... Yes it does... How else is it that I hear things?

[IWishIKnew]

It only does because you let it...

[Lachlan Easton]

Ohh I see, my ears only work because I let them hear things, I am my own Chuck Norris over my hearing abilities.

[cire]

IWishIKnew wrote:

]It only does because you let it...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/us/politics/todd-akin-provokes-ire-with-legitimate-rape-comment.html?_r=0

Mr. Akin? Is that you?

[ModShop]

Some people just don't know when to admit they're wrong.

[devonrevenge]

i think brainwaves are just like engine noises arent they? a side effect, theres not like a transmitter of brainwaves out there

[Cubbi]

Suprisingly (to me), pubmed has a few hits for real journals: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=brainwave+entrainment as the PNAS article from december says "frequency fluctuations in natural environmental input provide a pacing signal for endogenous neural oscillations"

[Lachlan Easton]

This just came up in my YouTube feed... The title at least is a little relevant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yHDeKFW8j8