Latest news with #PeterCook
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Some animals seem to appreciate music. What does that mean for human evolution?
Ronan the sea lion can dance to a lot of different songs, but there is something about 'Boogie Wonderland,' by Earth, Wind and Fire that really gets her going. It didn't take more than a few days for Peter Cook, a marine mammal sciences professor at the New College of Florida, to train Ronan to bop her head to music. Using fish as a reward, he taught her the movement. Then he taught her to move when a metronome played. Over the course of the next two months, he gave her a fish every time she synchronized her head bops to the beat of the music. Once that clicked, she could do it 60 times in a row within a couple of days, he said. Before long, she was able to do this with music recorded live in a studio with natural fluctuations, complex instrumentation and syncopation, meaning different beats were emphasized in different measures, Cook explained. And it wasn't just Earth, Wind and Fire that got her moving, but also the Backstreet Boys and other rock songs. 'Once she understood the task, she seemed to be able to transfer that knowledge over to even complex musical types of stimuli, which do have things like meter,' Cook told Salon in a phone interview. 'The thing is, we're just not sure how she thinks about or understands things like meter, syncopation or anything like that.' Historically, many thought that humans were the only animals that could recognize an external beat and synchronously move to it. But in 2007, Snowball the cockatoo went viral for dancing to the rhythm of the Backstreet Boys. Then, in 2013, Ronan the sea lion similarly acquired world-fame for moving her head rhythmically to the beat of music. These two case studies are part of a growing field of research set on trying to understand which animals have the capacity to be musical, providing clues on how and why music evolved in humans. In 1871, Charles Darwin wrote: "The perception, if not the enjoyment, of musical cadences and of rhythm is probably common to all animals.' Darwin suggests that if music gives us pleasure, it has an evolutionary purpose. And if all animals share a common ancestor, it could be something that is evolutionarily shared. But that isn't easy to investigate. 'We have this problem in studying the origins of musicality … Music doesn't fossilize,' said Henkjan Honing, a professor of Music Cognition at the University of Amsterdam. 'Cross-species work is a way of resolving that problem because the assumption is that if you share a certain trait with a genetically close species, then the common ancestor might also have had that particular skill.' In a way, all animals make rhythms, whether in the form of fireflies flashing, birds chirping or even a tiger pacing back and forth. Some of these rhythms are influenced by pure physiology: Walking, swimming and having a heartbeat are all rhythmic. Yet defining what constitutes music is challenging because it is inherently subjective. Plus, we don't know if animals experience music as music, or if that is our own human experience we are projecting onto them. In one study released last month, eastern and western chimpanzees — which are two different subspecies — were observed in the wild to have distinct drumming patterns. These patterns are short, structured and rhythmic, but they are thought to be used more for communication purposes than for music, said study author Vesta Eleuteri, who studies the evolution of social cognition and communication at the University of Vienna. 'Some chimpanzees drum with isochrony [occurring at the same time], but we didn't find evidence of other core musical rhythms that are present in humans,' Eleuteri told Salon in a video call. Musicality generally implies that animals have control over the rhythm they are making and use it flexibly. One way to determine if an animal is musical is to see if they have the ability to identify a note's pitch in relation to other notes. Another way, which has been studied more, is to see if they are capable of synchronizing to beats in a rhythm, Honing children have been shown to do this before they can walk or talk, though it's unclear whether this ability is learned or innate. Children aren't perfectly synchronized to the beat at younger ages and they improve over time, suggesting that it could be something that is socially learned. On the other hand, one 2009 study found evidence in baby's brains that they were detecting rhythmic patterns as young as seven months old, which could indicate that this ability is already functional at birth. Nevertheless, in a study published in May, Ronan the sea lion was shown to perform better than adult humans when tasked with moving in sync to a beat. Although Ronan doesn't perform this task outside of her training sessions on her own, she does get a fish regardless of whether or not she moves to the music in training sessions, indicating she is voluntarily moving to the beat, Cook said. It's unclear what motivates Ronan to perform this activity, but Cook said sea lions are kind of like the Border Collies of the sea and can quickly learn new tasks. As such, it could have something to do with mastering a task, he explained. 'I think she enjoys the cognitive challenge and the opportunity to sort of master something and then practice that mastery,' he said. 'I just don't know if it's about groove the way it is with humans.' Looking at similarities and differences between our closest living relatives, primates, can provide clues into whether music shares a common ancestral origin. In humans, if we are walking or typing and listening to music, we naturally sync up to the rhythm. In studies conducted by Yuko Hattori, an assistant professor at Kyoto University's Primate Research Institute, chimpanzees were able to synchronize their movement to a variety of rhythms. Similar findings were also reported in another study with a bonobo, in which the bonobo was also able to synchronize its drum beats to a human in the experiment. Movements from primates in these studies are not as precise as humans, but one hypothesis used to explain the origins of music could help explain the differences. It suggests that in humans, our ability to move in time with a beat stems from vocal learning. It could be that humans' ability to refine that beat synchronization evolved along with our vocalization abilities, Hattori said. 'The monkeys are a more distant evolutionary distant species, and so perhaps that there is some gradual development in the course of primate evolution,' Hattori told Salon in a video call. This hypothesis could explain why birds like Snowball and humans can move to a rhythm, although it raises questions about Ronan the sea lion's ability to move to the beat. Sea lions don't naturally adapt their calls to external stimuli in the wild, although seals do, which share an evolutionary root with sea lions more than 20 million years up the ancestral tree. However, it could be that this shared ancestor is related to some degree of vocal learning in sea lions. It's rare to get a brain scan of chimpanzees or sea lions due to ethical reasons, so what is happening neurologically when these animals move to the music is also unknown. However, experiments in birds like the zebra finch help provide some answers as to why this species sings. Although zebra finches sing their own songs and do not move to external rhythms, they do at some point learn those songs from other zebra finches, so there is some degree of learning and internalization related to music. In one 2017 study, Ofer Tchernichovski, who studies animal behavior at Hunter College, and his team set up an experiment in which birds had to get an unpleasant air puff in order to reach a peep hole where they could see a singing bird. What they found was that males were always willing to 'pay' to hear any song, whereas females were only willing to hear the song if they were presented with the song of their mate. When females were presented with the song of her mate, dopamine levels went up. 'The thing is, the females are not very sensitive to songs, so this was exactly the opposite of what we thought,' Tchernichovski told Salon in a video call. 'What we think is that for females, the song is really about sex, whereas for male zebra finches, it's more social.' Another study released earlier this year found dopamine activity increased in young zebra finches when they sang songs that were closer to their eventual adult song versions compared to when they sang songs that deviated further away from them. Other studies have shown male zebra finches 'self-evaluate' their songs when practicing alone with songs they sing better activating the dopamine system more than songs they sing worse. However, when singing for females, their dopamine system is activated by a social response based on the cues they receive from the female. Studies show that the dopamine system in humans is also activated when we listen to music. In one study, people listened to their favorite music while under an fMRI machine. In anticipation of that moment, the dopamine system was activated in the brain. Furthermore, studies have also shown that musical training in adolescence increases empathy and prosocial behaviors. In other words, it brings us together — which we see when we clap to the beat at a concert or sing the lyrics to popular songs. One 2014 study found infants were more likely to help someone if that person rocked them synchronously versus whether they did so out of rhythm. 'One of the theories that is important for the origins of musicality is that it could be a way of social bonding, of increasing the social cohesion of the group,' Honing said. 'You see the same thing with Snowball: He likes to dance when his owner is there … She always dances with him, and that's what the bird likes.' 'Enjoyment is the key,' Honing added. 'If you get pleasure out of something, that means it's important biologically, so it might be an adaptation.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Christie Brinkley Breaks Silence on Ex-Husband Billy Joel's Brain Disorder Diagnosis
Christie Brinkley is sending support to Billy Joel following his serious health update. On Saturday, May 24, the model took to Instagram to share words of encouragement to her ex-husband, who is also the father of her eldest child, Alexa Ray Joel, after he revealed his brain disorder diagnosis. Her post featured a video of herself and daughter Sailor Brinkley Cook, whom she shares with ex Peter Cook, at one of Joel's concerts and included clips of the singer on stage. "Dear Billy, The whole Brinkley gang is sending you lots of love and good wishes for a full and speedy recovery. I was looking for some cute photos of you and Alexa to send you, when I came across this clip from a recent concert. It made me laugh ..but it also reminded me of all the joy you create, and all the sensational [sing-alongs] you've lead," Brinkley began. She continued, "You turn an arena of strangers into a living room full of friends as we all sway in unison .. I'm sure I'm speaking for everyone in that room when I say please take good care of yourself, we all want you back in that white hot spotlight, you're OUR piano man. And we're always in the mood for your melodies. And we all hope you're feeling alright!" The 71-year-old signed off sending love from herself and her children. "We Love You, the kids, me and an arena or two!" she said. In addition to Sailor and Alexa, Brinkley has a son Jack with ex-husband Richard Taubman though he was later adopted by the model's then-husband, Peter Cook.
Sydney Morning Herald
08-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Four ways to sharpen your mind and stay relevant in the age of AI
Here are four simple yet proven methods to do better thinking. As an author of two books on high performance, I've used these methods to improve my own thinking. I've also seen great results when using these methods with leadership teams to overcome challenges and create new strategies. Full spectrum thinking Loading Full spectrum thinking is a concept created by Matt Church and Peter Cook in their 2018 book Think. Full spectrum thinking encourages us to flesh out an idea by scoping it from four different angles: from 'left brain' rational view to 'right brain' creative view, and from big picture 'conceptual' view down to detailed 'concrete' view. For example, to flesh out an idea like 'culture drives performance', incorporate the research and statistics that support the idea, share a story that brings it to life, frame it with a model or method, and add a metaphor for clarity and interest. By fleshing out an idea in full spectrum, you add both substance and appeal to your idea by making it accessible to people with different preferences for absorbing information. Yes and, yes but This is another thinking strategy shared by Church & Cook in Think. When you hear a concept or idea that you either agree or disagree with, use this method to build upon the idea with your unique perspective. 'Yes, and' asks you to elaborate on why you agree with an idea or concept. 'Yes, but' asks you to consider the opposing idea, or provide a contrary view. Yes is different to no. Yes suggests we are building concepts. No suggests we are debating concepts. Examples are: How can we grow both revenue and margin at the same time? How can we improve both productivity and engagement? How can we gain market share and consolidate our offerings? These questions seem paradoxical until they are considered as opportunities for radical change. Scientific thinking Loading The main premise behind scientific thinking is to treat opinions simply as hypotheses to be tested as either true or not true. Scientific thinking wards against cognitive biases getting in the way of the truth. For workers, adopting a scientific approach to thinking is about being willing to test ideas and let them go when they don't work out. The smart people at Google X have designed a whole innovation factory around scientific thinking. They are the team behind self-driving cars, self-flying delivery vehicles, smart glasses, smart contact lenses and balloon-powered internet. They see failure as a positive because in the words of one of their employees, 'killing a good idea, makes room for truly great ones'. Design thinking Design thinking was a concept introduced by Hasso Plattner and David Kelly in 2004 as a revolutionary way to transform problem-solving. This approach encourages individuals to identify and tackle problems through three unconventional ways: Empathise – understand the problems and challenges from the perspective of the 'user' or customer Work together – recognise that creativity sparks from collaboration – that working together can and does produce a better result than individuals working alone Fail effectively – work fast to build a minimum viable product (MVP) and test it. Adopt a 'fail fast' mentality, seeing continuous improvement, or iterative improvement over perfection. Applying design thinking, in just about any context, quickly evolves their thinking. It also helps people better respond to feedback and improve.
The Age
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Four ways to sharpen your mind and stay relevant in the age of AI
Here are four simple yet proven methods to do better thinking. As an author of two books on high performance, I've used these methods to improve my own thinking. I've also seen great results when using these methods with leadership teams to overcome challenges and create new strategies. Full spectrum thinking Loading Full spectrum thinking is a concept created by Matt Church and Peter Cook in their 2018 book Think. Full spectrum thinking encourages us to flesh out an idea by scoping it from four different angles: from 'left brain' rational view to 'right brain' creative view, and from big picture 'conceptual' view down to detailed 'concrete' view. For example, to flesh out an idea like 'culture drives performance', incorporate the research and statistics that support the idea, share a story that brings it to life, frame it with a model or method, and add a metaphor for clarity and interest. By fleshing out an idea in full spectrum, you add both substance and appeal to your idea by making it accessible to people with different preferences for absorbing information. Yes and, yes but This is another thinking strategy shared by Church & Cook in Think. When you hear a concept or idea that you either agree or disagree with, use this method to build upon the idea with your unique perspective. 'Yes, and' asks you to elaborate on why you agree with an idea or concept. 'Yes, but' asks you to consider the opposing idea, or provide a contrary view. Yes is different to no. Yes suggests we are building concepts. No suggests we are debating concepts. Examples are: How can we grow both revenue and margin at the same time? How can we improve both productivity and engagement? How can we gain market share and consolidate our offerings? These questions seem paradoxical until they are considered as opportunities for radical change. Scientific thinking Loading The main premise behind scientific thinking is to treat opinions simply as hypotheses to be tested as either true or not true. Scientific thinking wards against cognitive biases getting in the way of the truth. For workers, adopting a scientific approach to thinking is about being willing to test ideas and let them go when they don't work out. The smart people at Google X have designed a whole innovation factory around scientific thinking. They are the team behind self-driving cars, self-flying delivery vehicles, smart glasses, smart contact lenses and balloon-powered internet. They see failure as a positive because in the words of one of their employees, 'killing a good idea, makes room for truly great ones'. Design thinking Design thinking was a concept introduced by Hasso Plattner and David Kelly in 2004 as a revolutionary way to transform problem-solving. This approach encourages individuals to identify and tackle problems through three unconventional ways: Empathise – understand the problems and challenges from the perspective of the 'user' or customer Work together – recognise that creativity sparks from collaboration – that working together can and does produce a better result than individuals working alone Fail effectively – work fast to build a minimum viable product (MVP) and test it. Adopt a 'fail fast' mentality, seeing continuous improvement, or iterative improvement over perfection. Applying design thinking, in just about any context, quickly evolves their thinking. It also helps people better respond to feedback and improve.
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Ronan The Sea Lion Can Keep A Beat As Well As Humans Can
Sea lion Ronan first made the news in 2013, when researchers revealed that Ronan had the unusual ability to bob her head to the beat. Twelve years later, Ronan still loves a good beat. A new study about her unusual musical ability describes how she has no trouble keeping up with humans in a rhythm exercise. The human volunteers in the study were ten undergraduate students at the University of California, Santa Cruz. They were all asked to move their arm up and down to a beat, much like how Ronan moves her head. At three different tempos, the sea lion almost perfectly stayed on the beat. 'She is incredibly precise, with variability of only about a tenth of an eyeblink from cycle to cycle,' Peter Cook, who led the study, told UC Santa Cruz. 'Sometimes, she might hit the beat five milliseconds early, sometimes she might hit it 10 milliseconds late. But she's basically hitting the rhythmic bullseye over and over and over again.' Ronan's sense of rhythm is certainly not the result of excessive training. 'Realistically, if you added up the amount of rhythmic exposure Ronan has had since she's been with us, it is probably dwarfed by what a typical 1 year old kid has heard,' says Cook. Researchers left her in control of when to take part or not, so they only tested her when she felt like it and each rhythm exercise only lasted a few seconds. 'To her, it's a game she knows how to win, and she likes the fish that come with it,' says Colleen Reichmuth, who runs the Pinniped Lab at Long Marine Laboratory where Ronan has lived since 2010. Ronan was not born in captivity, but as a young sea lion she kept stranding ashore because she wasn't eating enough. After she was found wandering along a highway in 2009, the sea lion was considered unsuitable for life in the wild. She's now 16 and seems to be thriving as the world's first known sea lion with a sense of rhythm, but some other animals are known for their musical skills as well. In late 2007, Snowball the cockatoo went viral online for his expressive dance moves. The bird danced to the Backstreet Boys with head bops and paw kicks. Most impressively, he seemed to be perfectly on beat. His moves caught the attention of researcher Aniruddh Patel, who has since studied Snowball's sense of rhythm. One of the theories from the bird research was that cockatoo's ability to mimic human sounds with their voice had something to do with their sense of rhythm. After all, at the time only cockatoos and humans could dance, and both species can vocalise. But sea lions don't use their voice in the same way. They don't mimic human speech. So when Ronan first showed her moves in 2013, it made researchers have to rethink what could be behind our (and Ronan's, and Snowball's) sense of rhythm. Music plays an enormous role in our lives. We make music, we listen to music, and it plays in the background in shops, films and elevators. Music is just always there, and seems inherently human. But there's something deeper at play. Music therapy and dance therapy are being used successfully to help people with neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Researchers are still trying to understand how exactly our brains interpret and interact with music. Knowing that other animals can dance suggests that their brains, however different they are, might do something similar to ours. Studying animal behavior can teach us more about our own brains, too.
