EWCed

About EWCed

  • Keyword Search

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Arts
  • Culture
  • Heroes
  • History
  • Science
  • Technology
  • Looking for a Subject?
Ever Widening Circles

Flickr

Science

9 minute lesson

The (Musical) Bug That Gets Stuck in Your Brain

Ever Widening Circles

Did you know there’s a bug that gets stuck in your head!? Well, maybe not an actual bug, but today we’re talking about earworms or songs that you can’t stop singing to yourself.

It might be fun at first, but after a few loops in our head, any song can get annoying! Is there a way to get them out? How do songs get stuck in our heads in the first place? Let’s find out.

Why It Matters

There we have it, earworms don’t have to be annoying! But if that song is really getting to you, try chewing bubblegum, or listening to it the whole way through. Earworms also remind us that we’re all unique! The songs that get stuck in our depends on our personalities and musical tastes.

So, maybe the next time an earworm works itself into our brain you can celebrate it as a sign of your individuality!

Let's Talk About It
  1. How would you describe an earworm to someone who’s never heard of it?
  2. Based on the video, can you think of some songs that are likely to get stuck in someone’s head?
  3. What songs have you gotten stuck in your head? Did you try anything to get them out?

SciShow

SciShow explores the unexpected. Seven days a week, Hank Green, Michael Aranda, and Olivia Gordon delve into the scientific subjects that defy our expectations and make us even more curious!

Thank You

Thanks to EWCed writer Erin Murphy from Trinity College for this contribution to EWCed’s touchstones and for her work with EWCed! If you’d like to become an EWCed contributor, let us know!

Citations

“Why Is That Song Stuck in My Head?!” YouTube, SciShow, 18 Nov. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq53AjCCfuE.

Share4
Tweet
Share
Pocket
Pin1
Reddit
+1
Email
5 Shares

Related Touchstones

arts

13 minute lesson

How Music Reshapes Our Brains

health

15 minute lesson

Not Your Average Museum Specimens

culture

3 minute lesson

What Happens When Athletes and Scientists Team Up?

arts

4 minute lesson

Turning Trash into Musical Instruments

Join the EWCed Community!

Get notified about new Touchstones via email by signing up!
Check your email after you hit "subscribe" to confirm your subscription!

  • Arts
  • Culture
  • Heroes
  • History
  • Science
  • Technology
  • Looking for a Subject?

EWCed is the education initiative of Ever Widening Circles, a site dedicated to proving it's still an amazing world. For more content celebrating insights and innovation around the world check out our parent site!

  • Our Team
  • Our Mission
  • Contact Us
  • Our Story
  • Board of Advisors
  • Positive News for Parents
  • Follow Us
  • Submit a Touchstone
  • How To Use EWCed
  • Subscribe
  • Copyright Information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

©EWCed 2025 | site by Tannermooredesign

  • Keyword Search

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Subjects
    • Arts
      “There is incredible power in the arts to inspire and influence.” –Julie Taymor Explore touchstones highlighting artists, musicians, and traditions from around the globe!
    • Culture
      “Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures.” –Cesar Chavez Explore cultures from around the globe! Celebrate the diversity of humanity and the connections that bring us all together.
    • Engineering
      “You can engineer change” –Ginni Rometty Engineers around the world are coming up with incredible solutions to some of our toughest questions! Celebrate the innovators and innovations that are shaping our future.
    • Health
      “There are moments when the human body can overcome things you would never expect.” –Andres Iniesta Our bodies are incredible! Explore the science and discoveries being made to improve our health and learn more about ourselves.
    • Heroes
      “Without heroes, we are all plain people and don’t know how far we can go.” –Bernard Malamud A hero doesn’t have to be a historical figure, we all have the potential to become heroes in our own ways! Here are the stories of heroes of all kinds who have made and are making the world a better place.
    • History
      “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” –Marcus Garvey Learning about the past helps us understand and shape the future! Explore some of the moments in history and historical figures that brought us to where we are today.
    • Math
      “There should be no such thing as boring mathematics.”  –Edsger Dijkstra Math lets us understand and explore the world in new ways! Here are some of the ways mathematics brings us to new heights and is used in the wider world.
    • Places
      “Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit.” –Frank Borman Travel to some of the planet’s most remarkable corners without ever having to leave your chair! We are surrounded by incredible places here are some of them for you to explore.
    • Science
      “Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.” –Carl Sagan Science impacts every aspect of our lives! Explore the discoveries, research, and stories of scientists that are changing the world and shaping our future.
    • Social Studies
      “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” –Margaret Mead Social Studies lets us explore our humanity in many ways, allowing us to become better citizens of our nation and of the globe! Discover more about the history, culture, and stories of people around the world!
    • Technology
      “Technology, like art, is a soaring exercise of the human imagination.”  –Daniel Bell Technology is taking us to some remarkable places! Explore the innovators and innovations that are moving us forward!
  • Who We Are
    • Our Mission
    • Our Story
    • Our Team
  • Contact Us
  • Submit a Touchstone
  • Positive News for Parents

Join the EWCed Community!

Get notified about new Touchstones via email by signing up!
Check your email after you hit "subscribe" to confirm your subscription!