The Impact Music has on Microorganisms
In previous blogs, we talked about the how music impacts mood, health, and even water. But music effects many more elements of our world than just those aforementioned examples. A microorganism is a life form that can only be properly seen under a microscope. And yes, music can impact them as well. Several studies have been conducted to see what ways music impacts different types of microorganisms.
Now you may find yourself wondering: “How can music impact organisms who cannot hear?” The answer is vibrations. Vibrations can travel through just about everything, air, water, even walls. Sound, depending on how it’s used, can impact the growth or break down of organisms and cells. This was understood to such a degree that some innovative people in Germany wanted to see if music could be used to break down sewage.
Sound affects the metabolism of cells, the vibrations can promote or hinder cell growth, however different factors such as frequency play a role in this. One study Entitled: ‘Effect of audible sound in form of music on microbial growth and production of certain important metabolites’ by Niral Sarvaiya and Vijay Kothari found that the music did, in fact, impact the growth of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.
From this, we can start to understand a fundamental aspect of music and sound in general that will help explain why it’s so powerful. The sound is energy, and everything in this world is a form of energy, including humans. Quantum physicists discovered that atoms are comprised of energy, with each one giving off a unique energy signature. At our very essence, we are energy (because we too are made of atoms). With this perspective in mind perhaps it’s not too difficult to see why music may have such a huge impact on so much different, and at times seemingly in related, things.