A 4-Track Mind

2 October - 21 mins
Podcast Series Radiolab

In this short episode, first aired in 2011, a neurologist issues a dare to a ragtime piano player and a famous conductor. When the two men face off in an fMRI machine, the challenge is so unimaginably difficult that one man instantly gives up. But the other achieves a musical feat that ought to be impossible.

Reporter Jessica Benko went to Michigan to visit Bob Milne, one of the best ragtime piano players in the world, and a preternaturally talented musician. Usually, Bob sticks to playing piano for small groups of ragtime enthusiasts, but he recently caught the attention of Penn State neuroscientist Kerstin Betterman, who had heard that Bob had a rare talent: He can play technically challe...

21 mins

Series Episodes

Grass Apes Playing

Grass Apes

A tiny ode to grass, for its epic role in human history.

22 mins

25 September Finished

23 Weeks 6 Days Playing

23 Weeks 6 Days

A tiny baby, born at 23 Weeks and 6 days—roughly halfway to full term. And a whole universe of medical and moral questions.

1 hour 3 mins

11 September Finished

60 Words Playing

60 Words

It’s been 25 years since 9/11. Today we talk about the 60 words that ushered in everything that came after.

58 mins

4 September Finished

Recommended

No Account

Subscriptions to podcast series are only available to users with an account. Sign in or register to subscribe and access your subscriptions.

Register Sign in

Woops!

Error text.