Education and Intellectual Pursuits

Do some songs make you happier or sadder than others? If you’ve answered yes, you’re not alone. It seems music does this to all of us. Regardless of age, culture, or birth country, we all speak the emotional language of music.

Carnegie Hall in New York City ha d been f a mous f or it s wa r m,resonant sound since it opened in 1891. After ninety years, however, the hall needed a major makeover. When it reopened in late 1986, something was wrong. Musicians said the sound was harsh, hollow, brittle, and dead.The hall tried several fixes, but nothing worked. Nine years later, the mystery was solved. Somehow during the renovation, concrete had been laid under the wooden stage floor. That had dulled the sound, especially the bass notes. In a concert hall, even unseen det ails can make a huge difference.

Welcome to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world’s largest science competition for high school students. Out of the tens of millions of students who enter science fairs around the world each year, just 1,800 qualify to participate in this one.