Human males speak on average a full octave below women. In lab tests, women rate men with lower voices as more sexually attractive than guys with higher voices. Experts think that this is because deeper voices suggest that the male has more testosterom,. which made the vocal cords thinker and longer.
Today, we are revisiting one of our favorite episodes: an interview with New Yorker staff writer John Colapinto. In his brilliant book, "This Is the Voice," John says that while opposable thumbs are handy, the voice is our species' greatest attribute. We rely on it to communicate and collaborate, woo our mates and protect our children, win wars and make podcasts. John would know. A vocal injury changed his relationship with his instrument and set him on a path to better understand what his voice means to him — and what the voice means to humanity.