Acoustic World

Marco Maiolini
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  • Science
  • Updated Biweekly

What makes music and language exclusively human? How do other animals communicate? Do they perceive melodies and rhythms as we do? Acoustic World explores the field of bioacoustics through the voices of scholars around the world. Its host, Marco Maiolini, will interview musicologists, biologists and ethologists to discover this interdisciplinary field that we meet every day without even noticing. Join us in this journey, and follow us on Instagram for the latest news about the podcast. https://www.instagram.com/acousticworldpodcast Because the world has always spoken; we just need to listen.

  1. Aug 10

    Music and Language: two faces of the same coin? - Patrick Savage

    Are music and language really two sides of the same coin? A lullaby sung to a baby and a sentence whispered in the dark may seem like entirely different forms of expression—but could they share the same underlying structure? In this episode, Associate Professor Patrick Savage of Keio University and University of Auckland explores the deep connections between music and language, and how both evolve over time in ways that resemble biological evolution. Drawing on large cross-cultural datasets, we discuss what rhythm, melody, and speech reveal about human cognition, cultural evolution, and our shared history. Because the world has always spoken. We just need to listen. 🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Spreaker.

  2. Jul 27

    The hidden rules of sound - Michelle Spierings

    Do humans and animals hear sound in the same way? In this episode of Acoustic World, host Marco Maiolini speaks with Dr. Michelle Spierings, Assistant Professor at Leiden University, about how humans and animals perceive, organize, and interpret sound. Our brains don't simply hear sounds, they automatically group them into patterns that shape how we experience speech, music, and the world around us. But are these perceptual rules uniquely human, or are they shared across other species? Drawing on research in bioacoustics, animal cognition, and auditory perception, Michelle explains how the brain organizes sounds into rhythmic structures, why language and early experience influence what we hear, and what studies on zebra finches, parrots, and rats reveal about the evolutionary origins of language, music, and animal communication. The conversation also explores how researchers study sound perception in animals, the challenges of comparing cognition across species, and why understanding how animals experience their acoustic environment is essential for both science and animal welfare. Topics covered in this episode:• Bioacoustics and auditory perception• How the brain groups sounds into patterns• The iambic–trochaic law• Language evolution and music cognition• Animal communication and vocal learning• Zebra finches, parrots, and comparative cognition• Sound perception across species If you're interested in bioacoustics, animal behavior, birdsong, language evolution, music cognition, or the science of how brains make sense of sound, this episode is for you. 🎙️ Subscribe to Acoustic World on Spotify to discover the latest research on bioacoustics, animal communication, and the hidden world of sound Because the World as always spoken, we just need to listen

  3. Jul 13

    Following the echoes - Natacha Aguilar de Soto

    🐋 What can rapid clicks from the pitch-black depths of the ocean tell us? In this episode, Professor Natacha Aguilar de Soto (Oceanographic Centre, Tenerife) explains how deep-diving beaked whales and other cetaceans use echolocation to navigate and hunt where light cannot reach. Discover how life in the deep ocean has shaped remarkable acoustic adaptations—and how human-made underwater noise can disrupt them. The featured underwater recordings were made by the University of La Laguna and the Oceanographic Center of the Canary Islands under permit from the Spanish Government. Because the world has always spoken—we just need to listen. 🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Spreaker.

  4. Jun 29

    Names in the ocean - Vincent Janik

    What if dolphins call each other by name? A single whistle can travel across the vast ocean, carrying the identity of the individual who made it. In this episode, Professor Vincent Janik from the University of St Andrews explores the fascinating world of dolphin communication, revealing how signature whistles help maintain complex social relationships and what they can teach us about animal cognition. Join us as we dive into the science of acoustic identity, vocal learning, and the remarkable flexibility of dolphin communication—discovering how life beneath the waves is connected through sound. Because the world has always spoken. We just need to listen. 🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Spreaker.

  5. Jun 15

    Beneath the elephant’s feet - Angela Stöger

    🐘 You may have heard the powerful trumpet of an elephant across the savannah. Are you curious to know about the secret layer of communication they use that is completely silent to human ears?  🎤 Professor Angela Stoeger of the University of Vienna is ready to help us understand the world of infrasound, uncovering how these majestic creatures stay in contact over vast distances.  🔊 Listen to the episode to understand how elephants use low-frequency signals to coordinate movement and how studying these sounds in zoos helps improve their welfare. Because the World has always spoken, we just need to listen.  🎧 Listen on Spotify, Spreaker and Apple Podcasts #acousticworld #bioacoustics #podcast #elephants #infrasound

  6. Jun 1

    Music without borders - Nori Jacoby

    🎶 From the gentle melody of a lullaby to the driving rhythm of a festive celebration, music is a heartbeat of human life found in every corner of the globe. Are you curious to know if music is truly a universal language shared by all cultures?  🎤 Assistant Professor Nori Jacoby of Cornell University is ready to help us explore "music without borders," uncovering the fascinating commonalities and differences in how we create and hear sounds.  🔊 Listen to the episode to understand how cultural transmission shapes our music and whether these rhythms might have paved the way for the evolution of language itself. Because the World has always spoken, we just need to listen.  🎧 Listen on Spotify, Spreaker and Apple Podcasts  #acousticworld #bioacoustics #podcast #ethnomusicology #universalmusic

  7. May 18

    A trembling World - Rachele Nieri

    🍂 You may have watched a tiny insect climbing a stem in total silence. Are you curious to know if there is a "trembling world" of messages moving right beneath its feet?  🎤 Assistant Professor Rachele Nieri of the University of Trento is ready to help us understand biotremology, uncovering how insects use substrate vibrations like miniature earthquakes to communicate.  🔊 Listen to the episode to discover how these hidden signals are used in the animal kingdom and how they are even being applied to help in sustainable agriculture. Because the World has always spoken, we just need to listen.  🎧 Listen on Spotify, Spreaker and Apple Podcasts #acousticworld #bioacoustics #podcast #biotremology #insectcommunication

  8. May 4

    The architecture of voice - Tecumseh Fitch

    🗣️ From speaking and singing to a sudden shout, the human voice is a powerful carrier of words, emotions, and identity. But have you ever wondered what biological architecture makes all of this possible? 🎤 Professor Tecumseh Fitch of the University of Vienna is ready to help us understand the "architecture of sound," uncovering the secrets of the vocal apparatus across different species. 🔊 Listen to the episode to understand how our vocal tract shapes sound production, and how studying these structures unlocks mysteries about the origins of speech, music, and language. Because the World has always spoken, we just need to listen. 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Spreaker and Apple Podcasts #acousticworld #bioacoustics #podcast #vocalapparatus #tecumsehfitch #animallanguage

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About

What makes music and language exclusively human? How do other animals communicate? Do they perceive melodies and rhythms as we do? Acoustic World explores the field of bioacoustics through the voices of scholars around the world. Its host, Marco Maiolini, will interview musicologists, biologists and ethologists to discover this interdisciplinary field that we meet every day without even noticing. Join us in this journey, and follow us on Instagram for the latest news about the podcast. https://www.instagram.com/acousticworldpodcast Because the world has always spoken; we just need to listen.

Information

  • Creator
    Marco Maiolini
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Marco Maiolini
  • Show Website
    Acoustic World