SEADSTEM

Scientists have discovered that a substance called dopamine is released in the brain when we listen to music. Dopamine is also called the "happiness hormone", because it acts on the reward system in our brain, which makes us feel good.

With our favorite songs, we also know them well and therefore anticipate certain parts that we like. This creates tension and relaxation when we hear the part. Something similar happens when we eat or when we see something delicious that we are about to eat.

Children and young people have answered the question themselves in this way:

"Favorite songs give you a connection and positive memories."
"Favorite songs influence your feelings."
"There is a perfect song for every situation."
"It's good to hear in lyrics that another person feels the same way you do or has experienced something similar."

Berit Immig works as a music therapist at the Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics at the Ernst von Bergmann Clinic.

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Foto: © Maria Röbers

Stars have not always existed. They are born and live for millions or even billions of years before they die. There are clouds in the universe that consist mainly of hydrogen, but also of dust. Without dust and gas, stars would not form. Stars are formed from the dense cores that are embedded in such a cloud. Various forces act within it. The most important of these is gravity, whose attractive effect ensures that the nuclei continue to contract. When matter is compressed enough, its density increases and it begins to heat up. This continues in various phases over a fairly long period of time. When the star has become so large and dense that the central region can trigger a nuclear reaction, the star shines and we can see it. Some of the stars we see are quite close to us, like our sun. Others are further away, but bright enough that we can still see them. With telescopes, we can see stars that are even further away or simply fainter.

Dr. Silva Järvinen is interested in the activity and magnetism of different types of stars. She also loves observing with instruments, for example in the USA and Chile.

www.aip.de/de/members/silva-järvinen/


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