Unexplainable The Sound Barrier #1: The myth of hearing
94 snips
Nov 3, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, Diana Deutsch, a pioneer in auditory research, reveals her groundbreaking work on auditory illusions that showcase how our brains interpret sound. Audiologist Matthew Winn explains how sound travels and the brain's ability to edit auditory input, while Michael Chorost shares his emotional journey of losing most of his hearing and adapting to a cochlear implant. Their insights challenge our understanding of perception, explore cultural differences in sound interpretation, and highlight the complexities of hearing and music enjoyment.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Turning Pages Changed A Career
- Diana Deutsch accidentally dropped pages while turning for her teacher and realized performing wasn't for her.
- That moment pushed her from performing toward researching music perception using synthesized tones.
Hearing Is Fast Pressure-to-Signal Conversion
- Sound is air-pressure waves that the ear converts into electrical signals interpreted by the brain.
- The ear-to-brain chain is fast and repeats thousands of times per second.
Brain Suppresses Echoes To Localize Sound
- The brain suppresses later echoes and prioritizes the first arriving wave to localize sound.
- This editing prevents overwhelming perception from reflected waves in real environments.
