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Violins - Social networks and cliques in great tits and snow monkeys - Exploring DNA and art

New research finds that classical concert-goers rate new fiddles higher than revered old fiddles. How was this acoustic science done and what does soloist Tasmin Little think?

Classical music fans will know well the legendary violins made by the likes of Stradivarius and Guarneri in the 17th and 18th century. But new acoustical research has found that concert goers rated the music of new fiddles higher than that from old and revered Italian violins. Dr Claudia Fritz of the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris explains how she did this study and what she found. Virtuoso soloist Tasmin Little plays her 260 year old Italian instrument for presenter Adam Rutherford and offers her thoughts on the findings.

Adam also hears about personality and social cliques in great tits in Oxfordshire, and social networks and disease in Japanese snow monkeys. Adam chats with Leicester University geneticist Turi King and artists Ruth Singer and Gillian McFarland about their collaborative project to explore DNA through art.

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30 minutes

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Broadcasts

  • Thu 11 May 2017 16:30
  • Thu 11 May 2017 21:00

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