What does sound feel like? Music theorist Lindsey Reymore explores timbre — the “color” of sound — and why the way we describe music might be more shared than subjective.

Further reading and listening:

• Learn more about the ACTOR project at McGill University and the Timbre and Orchestration Resource

• Listen to Peter and the Wolf!

Learn more about:

The School of Music, Dance and Theatre at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University.

The Institute for Social Science Research at ASU, which is funding Lindsey’s upcoming timbre study in different languages.

Special thanks to the Ocotillo Winds from ASU’s School of Music, Dance and Theatre.

Bass clarinet: Assistant Professor Jeff Anderle

Flute: Professor Elizabeth Buck

Alto saxophone: Professor Christopher Creviston

Oboe: Assistant Professor Jonathan Davis

Clarinet: Associate Professor Josh Gardner

Bassoon: Professor Albie Micklich

Lab Coat Optional is a production of the Strategic Marketing and Communications team at Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise. Learn more about research and discovery at ASU on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky or visit us at research.asu.edu.

Love the show? Give us a five star review on the podcast app of your choice!

Get in touch with us at ke.podcast@asu.edu.

Episode credits

Executive produced by Kate Howells

Produced by Alexander Chapin and Pete Zrioka

Hosted and reported by Pete Zrioka

Shot by Alexander Chapin and Christian Van Bebber

Edited by Alexander Chapin and Patrick Cheung

Music composed by Patrick Cheung

Motion graphics by Andy Ramos

Art by Andy Keena

Editorial support from Diane Boudreau

Social media management by Lauren Hebing and Kyler Litson

We trade data for convenience every day. But at what cost? Rakibul Hasan breaks down how everyday tech became a surveillance network that determines what we see, what we pay — and maybe even what we think.

Resources

• Try Brave or Duck Duck Go as a browser
• Try the Start Page search engine

Further reading and watching:

• Privacy Is Power by Carissa Veliz
• LOST GENERATION
• The Social Dilemma from Netflix

Learn more about the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University.

Lab Coat Optional is a production of the Strategic Marketing and Communications team at Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise. Learn more about research and discovery at ASU on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky or visit us at research.asu.edu.

Love the show? Give us a five star review on the podcast app of your choice!

Get in touch with us at ke.podcast@asu.edu.

Special thanks to our No. 1 fan Meg Hebing for her cameo

Episode credits

Executive produced by Kate Howells

Produced by Alexander Chapin and Pete Zrioka

Hosted and reported by Pete Zrioka

Shot by Alexander Chapin

Edited by Alexander Chapin and Quinton Kendall

Original music from Patrick Cheung

Motion graphics by Andy Ramos

Art by Andy Keena and Sophia Franz

Editorial support from Diane Boudreau

Social media management by Lauren Hebing and Kyler Litson

Disclosure:

Opinions expressed on this show reflect the views of the individuals only, not the policy or opinion of Arizona State University.

Astrophysicist Skylar Grayson explains how she uses supercomputer simulations to study black holes, how scientists can piece together a picture of phenomena billions of light years away and why communicating science clearly matters just as much as discovering it.

Find Skylar on:

• YouTube
• Tiktok
• Instagram

Further reading:

• Read The End of Everything by Katie Mack
• Check out Starts with a Bang by Ethan Siegal

Learn more about the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University.

Lab Coat Optional is a production of the Strategic Marketing and Communications team at Arizona State University’s Knowledge Enterprise. Learn more about research and discovery at ASU on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky or visit us at research.asu.edu.

Love the show? Give us a five star review on the podcast app of your choice!

Support our friends!

Check out AskABiologist wherever you get your podcasts!

Special thanks to Kaden Ryback for suggesting this episode!

Do you have an idea for an episode, or just want to torture the host with facts about dark matter? Get in touch at ke.podcast@asu.edu!

Episode credits

Executive produced by Kate Howells

Produced by Alexander Chapin and Pete Zrioka

Hosted and reported by Pete Zrioka

Shot by Alexander Chapin

Edited by Alexander Chapin and Quinton Kendall

Original music from Patrick Cheung

Motion graphics by Andy Ramos

Art by Andy Keena and Sophia Franz

Editorial support from Diane Boudreau

Social media management by Lauren Hebing and Kyler Litson