Over the course of millions of years, human voices have evolved to hold startling power. These clouds of vibrating air carry crucial information about who we are–and we rely on them to push ourselves up and out into the physical world.

This week, we’re on a journey to understand how we got our unique sonic fingerprint, the power it affords us, and what happens when it’s taken away.

Special thanks to Alice Wong, Wren Farrell, Hector Espinal and his parents, Crisaly and Hector Espinal, Mary Croke, Nancy Kielty, Beth McEwen, Robin Feuer Miller, Roomful of Teeth, Amanda Crider, Caroline Shaw, Judd Greenstein, Leilihua Lanzilotti, Rebekka Karijord, and Michael Harrison.

EPISODE CREDITS:

Reported by -Annie McEwen and Matt Kielty Produced by - Annie McEwen and Matt Kielty Original music and sound design contributed by - Jeremy Bloom and Matt Kielty with mixing help from - Jeremy Bloom Fact-checking by - Anna Pujol-Mazzini and Edited by - Alex Neason

EPISODE CITATIONS:

Books -

Disability Intimacy • by Alice Wong Year of the Tiger • by Alice Wong This is the Voice • by John Colapinto

Websites -

DisabilityVisibilityProject.com Audio/Artists -

Roomful of Teeth (https://www.roomfulofteeth.org/)

Partita for 8 Voices • written by Caroline Shaw AEIOU • composed by Judd GreensteinOn Stochastic Wave • behavior by Leilehua LanzilottiFugue • by Rebekka Karijord, taken from the record “The Bell Tower" • , featuring Roomful of Teeth. Just Constellations • , composed by Michael Harrison Sign up for our newsletter! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!

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Leadership support for Radiolab’s science programming is provided by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Science Sandbox, a Simons Foundation Initiative, and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.