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You know how a deep voice in a man is a surefire sign of his ability to impregnate you with lots of his genetically-fit babies, which is exactly what you, as a woman, are hardwired to want? Yeah, no. Turns out, dudes with deep voices actually have substandard sperm. More »
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Ever wonder why so many automated voices—think the iPhone's Siri, your GPS lady, the woman who gives you your voicemail—are female? NPR's Scott Simon did a little digging into this topic, and the consensus seems to be that women's voices are used because they're perceived as being more comforting. As one expert put it, More »
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Women's voices tend to vary in pitch over the course of their menstrual cycle, and scientists have speculated that this might help them advertise their fertility to men. Turns out, it doesn't. More »
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Might men do well to take a page out of George Clooney's book? Men with monotonous voices are more desirable to women, says a recent study. But it's not the smooth voice we supposedly want - it's the power. [Telegraph] More »
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German researchers studied 60 French and German newborns and found that the babies cried with different accents. They believe babies pick up the inflection of their mother's voice in the womb and imitate it in an attempt to bond. [BBC] More »
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If "sex" is anatomical, and "gender" is a construct, then it can be assumed that our vocal range would establish sex, while the way that we speak establishes gender. Or does it? More »
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Legendary soprano Yma Sumac, the "Peruvian songbird," has died at an assisted living facility in Los Angeles. She was 86. Born Zoila Augusta Emperatriz Chavarri del Castillo, the singer rose to fame in 1950s Hollywood because of her amazing vocals and unique style. She chose the name Yma Sumac, which means "how pretty" in Inca's Quechua language. Sumac had a five-octave range and was known for her flawless, precise, never-out-of tune singing style. Her voice was sometimes a growl, sometimes a fluttering, piercing flute. She is the only Peruvian whose name is written in Hollywood's Walk of Fame. (Click pic at left for some embedded video, to hear her voice.) [AP] More »
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A 60-year-old British woman known only as KH is the first known case of a person born with phonagnosia, or the inability to identify and recognize voices. Phonanosia was previously only known to occur in those who had suffered strokes or brain damage. The only speaking voice that KH can recognize? The deep Scottish accent of Sean Connery. [Telegraph] More »
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