Twenty Thousand Hertz

Sound, Uncovered. The secrets, stories, and science behind what you hear.

Design
Arts
Music Commentary
176
False Alarm: How the Emergency Alert System wen...
Explore the history of the notification system that keeps us safe.
23 min
177
Muzak: How background music took over the world
The company that changed the way public spaces sound.
16 min
178
Six O'Clock Soundtrack: The art of TV news music
How television news got its score.
23 min
179
314-914-6093: When Michelle Obama tweets your p...
What does Twitter sound like when it comes to life?
22 min
180
The Gift: Dr. Amar Bose’s audio legacy
In this special Holiday Edition, we uncover an incredible gift to sound and research.
21 min
181
Facebook & Google Pixel: Designing the perfect ...
We explore user interface sounds.
22 min
182
Let It Beep: The rise and fall of the Mac start...
Who was behind the infamous Mac sounds that have become part of your daily routine?
16 min
183
Disney Parks: How Imagineers use sound to encha...
How does sound design shape our theme park experience?
19 min
184
Spooky Sounds: The secrets of horror sound design
How does Hollywood create the terrifying sounds in our favorite scary movies, and why does our brain react to those sounds with fear?
23 min
185
Acoustical Umbilical Cord: Why crying makes us ...
Why do we cry? ...and how do our tears in adulthood make us distinctively human?
20 min
186
Level Up: How video games tell an immersive sto...
Games are often defined by their graphics. How does sound for games work?
20 min
187
Watergate: How a tape recorder brought down a p...
How did an open reel tape recorder secretly planted in the White House basement lead to the demise of the 37th President of the United States?
23 min
188
Sonic Seasoning: Can sound affect our taste buds?
How does our sense of hearing affect our taste buds?
16 min
189
Fight or Flight: Why airplane sounds make us an...
Does flying make you nervous? You’re not alone. Dive into the psychological aspects of how sound can trigger these fears, and find out what all of those sounds really are.
23 min
190
Sound Firsts: Landmark recordings in history
What are the oldest sound recordings in history?
26 min
191
Noise Pollution: The hidden costs
Airplanes, construction, motorcycles - How have these everyday sounds affected our lives and what are the environmental and health repercussions?
17 min
192
Silent Sea: Whalesong & Undersea Noise Pollution
How has increased ocean traffic affected underwater life? ...and what can we do to reverse these effects?
21 min
193
Evolution of Accents: From Shakespeare to Valle...
You may not realize it, but your accent is a window to who you are and where you come from. How do accents evolve?
23 min
194
Forensic Audio: How sound solves crimes
Deciphering audio has become crucial to solving cases, but how do specialists interpret audio evidence?
15 min
195
The Wilhelm Scream: Hollywood’s most iconic sou...
A history of the most iconic scream in movie history that you’ve definitely heard, but might not have heard of.
17 min
196
The voices behind Dragon Ball Z & Firewatch
Who are the voices behind our favorite cartoon characters and commercials? Take a look behind-the-scenes of voice acting.
16 min
197
Hearing Loss: What causes it and how to prevent it
As we age our hearing naturally diminishes, but what other factors are causing our hearing to disappear? Plus, take an informal hearing test.
17 min
198
From Screams to Serenity: How sound shapes us
Ever wonder why certain sounds make us cringe while others are soothing? Find out why we consider some sounds “good” and some “bad”.
17 min
199
Foley: Hollywood’s hidden sound heroes
What is Foley and how does it make our movie listening experience more realistic?
14 min
200
What do other planets sound like?
What do other planets in our solar system sound like to our ears?
19 min