May 04, 2009

A look inside the baby mind: "A recent brain scanning experiment by researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that jazz musicians in the midst of improvisation - they were playing a specially designed keyboard in a brain scanner - showed dramatically reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex. It was only by 'deactivating' this brain area that the musicians were able to spontaneously invent new melodies. The scientists compare this unwound state of mind with that of dreaming during REM sleep, meditation, and other creative pursuits, such as the composition of poetry. But it also resembles the thought process of a young child, albeit one with musical talent. Baudelaire was right: 'Genius is nothing more nor less than childhood recovered at will.'"
posted by waxboy 15 years ago
  • ... and thus I submit that lobotomizing "the jonas brothers" can only improve their musical output dramatically. The prosecution rests.
  • Here! Here! Run those twirps off the stage. Quidnunc for lobotomist! This baby's not impressed with classical.
  • Open Jonas' skulls unfurl their splendour I grasp their brain stems - tremulous and tender! The nurses turn away from the garish bloody spray, As I cut into their frontal lobes all night: So listen to the music of my knife.
  • *steps back slowly* Uhhhh.... Just lovely, quidnunc. Lovely. Now let's put down the knife, shall we? Come have a lovely cup of tea. Yes, tea would be nice. *motions to the white coat people*
  • And in other Jonas Bros. lethal experimentation news..
  • How should the Jonas Bros. die? Let's take a poll!
  • Mount fine trophy heads from Jonas Brothers.
  • Ultimate heroes of the last 10 years. Specifically, number 10 on the list.
  • Weird. I was one of the subjects in that brain scan study. The study also became part of a documentary about music and the brain. If you live in Canada, you can see it here. There is some discussion of the study here. Since I live in the US, I haven't seen it yet but it apparently features me, Sting and Michael Buble. Probably the only time our three names will ever appear in the same sentence.