Comments on: music, sweet music

music, sweet music

edgeways — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 13:23:20 -0800

Mouse serenade: Tim Holy and Zhongsheng Guo at Washington University School of Medicine in Missouri discover the songs of mice. Published at the Public Library of Science, Biology, (non newsie, science article). Examples of the singing, 1- shifted down 4 octaves, timing intact (MP3 file) and, 2 - shifted down 4 octaves and slowed down 16 fold. (MP3 file) (partially via)

By: freebird

freebird — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 13:39:29 -0800

Neato! I wish I could bet money on the proposition that animal behavior will continue to surprise us with its depth and complexity.

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 13:44:06 -0800

I am afraid to play those MP3s, because I know that I currently have a mouse in my house. Although... maybe if I play them near the mousetraps...

By: Lotto

Lotto — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 13:54:50 -0800

Ha ha.. I had forgotten that winamp was playing, so when I listened to the first mouse mp3 I was thinking "Wow, but why has it been put over Take Me To The River?" I'm an idiot, clearly. Cool post though - I wanted to post this put I couldn't find any links to the recordings.

By: dobbs

dobbs — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 13:55:05 -0800

Excellent. Thank you!

By: Flitcraft

Flitcraft — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 13:57:38 -0800

Cute, but I'm still going to put a trap out to break their warbling little necks if they stray into my flat and eat my bagels.

By: spiderwire

spiderwire — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 13:59:41 -0800

I had forgotten that winamp was playing, so when I listened to the first mouse mp3 I was thinking "Wow, but why has it been put over Take Me To The River?" This would have been pretty ironic. (Free link to a good Mouse on Mars song there. Har, har.)

By: PurplePorpoise

PurplePorpoise — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 14:00:03 -0800

Wow, it sounds *so much* like birdsong. Strange.

By: MotherTucker

MotherTucker — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 14:05:24 -0800

I moved into my apartment 2 years ago come January 1. Since then I have killed over 150 mice in my apartment. It is mouse hell. I have heard the mousies singing each to each. I do not think they sing for me. They hold squaredances in the middle of my kitchen floor. My dog doesn't even look at them anymore. I used to think they were cute. I no longer think so.

By: Lotto

Lotto — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 14:15:49 -0800

MotherTucker: Er, maybe you need to get the professionals in? Though having said that, I would *love* to see mousie squaredances.

By: shinji_ikari

shinji_ikari — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 14:19:00 -0800

*drops wooden mallets*

By: gurple

gurple — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 14:40:56 -0800

Wow, those recordings really mess with my dog.

By: wadefranklin

wadefranklin — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 14:56:49 -0800

My cats think they're very interesting, too.

By: freebird

freebird — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 14:59:56 -0800

I have heard the mousies singing each to each. I do not think they sing for me. Favorite thing I've read today on MeFi.

By: metaculpa

metaculpa — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 15:00:57 -0800

Now that's really interesting to hear. I wonder whether your canine/feline are interested because they have a generic template for all animal songs.

By: malaprohibita

malaprohibita — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 15:24:42 -0800

Mothertucker: do you dare? Do you dare? (and yes, thanks for the laugh)

By: Turtles all the way down

Turtles all the way down — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 17:16:36 -0800

I have heard the mousies singing each to each. I do not think they sing for me. Maybe you should try rolling up your pants.

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 21:31:20 -0800

"I am afraid to play those MP3s, because I know that I currently have a mouse in my house." - Not I I read a wonderful book once, of a woman who in the early '60s studied in Pakistan with a Sufi saint. In one anomalous incident - for the tone of the book - the saint cast a demon from a posessed man. The saint told the demon that - if it reinfested the man - he'd burn the creature and all of its family. To ashes. Perhaps spiritual ashes. In the end this turned out to be a species loyalty issue, meaning : we all must draw a line somewere. Or perish. So, I am merciless to mice. They gnaw wiring.