Why Music Can Soothe The Savage Breast
Senior Editor Sharon Begley is an expert at turning the latest scientific breakthrough into English, but she can’t carry a tune. “I’m a musical dunce,” Begley admits. Despite the handicap, she managed to produce a startling story about music and the brain. Scientists now believe the brain is hard-wired for music and that some forms of intelligence are enhanced by it. In other words, our response to Cole Porter or Bruce Springsteen may be predetermined by biology. The research has fascinating implications for infant development and for our understanding of evolution. Begley’s story begins on page 50.
