Short Wave

Babies got beat: Why rhythm might be innate

February 6, 2026

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  • Newborn babies appear to track rhythm, but not melody, when listening to Bach, suggesting rhythm perception may be innate while melody processing requires more development. 
  • The innate sense of rhythm in humans is likely due to its fundamental presence in biological systems, such as the heartbeat, movement, and speech, which babies are exposed to even in the womb. 
  • Sleep, particularly REM sleep, aids in problem-solving, as demonstrated by lucid dreamers being more than twice as likely to solve puzzles they dreamt about after being cued during sleep. 

Segments

Sponsor Message and Introduction
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The episode features a science news roundup with guests discussing innate rhythm perception in babies.
  • Summary: The episode opens with advertisements before hosts Regina Barber and Rachel Carlson introduce the segment featuring Juana Summers from All Things Considered. The main topics covered include babies listening to Bach to test rhythm and melody perception, reptile feeding habits, and the role of sleep in problem-solving.
Babies Track Rhythm, Not Melody
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(00:02:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Newborn brains predict the rhythm but not the melody of complex music like Bach, suggesting rhythm is innate.
  • Summary: Scientists tested sleeping newborns using EEG while playing Bach to see if their brains predicted the next note, similar to adults who predict both rhythm and melody. The findings indicated that babies tracked the rhythm, even when complicated, but failed to track the melody. This suggests rhythm perception might be an ancient, hard-wired trait, possibly due to prenatal exposure to the mother’s heartbeat.
Reptile Fasting and Hunger Hormone
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(00:04:10)
  • Key Takeaway: Some snakes and chameleons lack the gene for the hunger hormone ghrelin, potentially explaining their ability to fast for long periods.
  • Summary: Snakes and some reptiles can fast for months or a year before consuming large meals, a pattern researchers investigated genetically. Genome analysis revealed that some snakes and chameleons have lost the genes responsible for producing ghrelin, the hormone that signals hunger in humans. This absence may be linked to their unique, extended fasting capabilities, contrasting with the human appetite system involving ghrelin and GLP-1.
Sleep Aids Problem Solving
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(00:05:57)
  • Key Takeaway: Dreaming about a puzzle during REM sleep significantly increases the likelihood of solving it upon waking.
  • Summary: Cognitive neuroscientist Ken Paler studied lucid dreamers, linking specific puzzles to unique soundtracks played while awake. Researchers then played these cues during REM sleep to encourage dreaming about the unsolved problems. Volunteers were more than twice as likely to solve puzzles they remembered dreaming about, indicating dreams act as a catalyst for processing information and inducing creativity.
Episode Wrap-up and Credits
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(00:08:36)
  • Key Takeaway: The episode concludes by thanking the guest and listing production credits.
  • Summary: The hosts thank guest Juana Summers for discussing the science news roundup. Production credits are listed for the episode, including producers, editors, fact-checkers, and audio engineers. Listeners are encouraged to follow Short Wave for more science stories.