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Neuroscientists decoded a Pink Floyd song using people’s brain activity

The method captured sounds that resemble the song's rhythm and harmony

An illustration of a woman's profile with music notes and butterflies flying above her head and a squiggly line wrapping around and out the back of her head.

A new study shows that decoding brain activity can re-create musical elements of a song.

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By Claudia López Lloreda

In what seems like something out of a sci-fi movie, scientists have plucked the famous Pink Floyd song “Another Brick in the Wall” from individuals’ brains.  

Using electrodes, computer models and brain scans, researchers previously have been able to decode and reconstruct individual words and entire thoughts from people’s brain activity (SN: 11/15/22; SN: 5/1/23).