To test their musical understanding, scientists altered the rhythm and melodies. The results were striking: when the rhythm changed, the babies’ brains showed clear signs of surprise, indicating that they were predicting the next beat. Changes in melody, however, did not trigger a strong reaction.
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New Delhi: We often assume that newborns only know how to sleep, cry, and feed. But ground breaking research from the Italian Institute of Technology is challenging this notion.
Scientists have discovered that babies are born with a subtle understanding of music, which may even help them learn to speak sooner.
Babies Can Feel the Beat
The study shows that newborns don’t just recognize musical sounds-they can anticipate when the next beat or pulse will come. While this might sound surprising, the evidence is compelling.
How the Study Was Conducted
Published in the journal PLOS Biology, the research involved 49 newborns. While the babies slept, they listened to soothing piano melodies through earphones, and special sensors measured their brain activity.
To test their musical understanding, scientists altered the rhythm and melodies. The results were striking: when the rhythm changed, the babies’ brains showed clear signs of surprise, indicating that they were predicting the next beat. Changes in melody, however, did not trigger a strong reaction.
Music Begins in the Womb
Researchers believe that babies’ musical abilities are not learned after birth-they begin developing in the womb.
A baby’s first exposure to rhythm comes from the mother’s heartbeat, a constant and comforting pulse. The mother’s movements also help the fetus develop a sense of timing and anticipation.
In the final months of pregnancy, even though external music sounds muffled, its rhythm reaches the baby clearly, giving newborns an innate sense of musical timing.
Why Rhythm Helps Babies Learn to Speak
This early understanding of rhythm is more than just a musical skill. Scientists suggest that babies with a strong sense of timing and beat learn languages faster. Musical rhythm prepares the brain to detect the intonation, patterns, and nuances of words, giving infants a head start in language development.
Takeaway: From the womb, babies are already budding musicians-and this musical sense may give them a leg up in learning to communicate. So next time you play a lullaby, remember: your baby isn’t just listening-they’re learning.
