Nov 28th, 2008 · The pheasant-sized superb lyrebird doesn't look like much until you get to its tail. Sixteen feathers create a gorgeous pinnacle of lacy white and brown filaments shaped like the ancient musical instrument the lyre.
Oct 27th, 2008 · The World Series is letting fans get ever closer to the action. Both the Phillies and Rays' coaches are now wearing TV microphones. Bob Bowman, CEO of Major League Baseball Advanced Media, talks about how TV coverage of baseball's biggest series is changing.
Sep 23rd, 2008 · Calling Stephin Merritt a reluctant performer is putting it lightly. Nevertheless, the Magnetic Fields leader bellied up to a microphone by himself in a KEXP session. Here, he surveys his expansive catalog and answers questions in the deadpan style that makes his songs so great.
Sep 9th, 2008 · Long a singer, songwriter, session guitarist and member of the band Green on Red, Prophet plays songs from his latest solo album, Soap & Water, with a Telecaster guitar, a deadpan delivery and a distorted bullhorn microphone.
Jul 28th, 2008 · It happens again and again; a politician, celebrity or TV anchor wearing a microphone says something embarrassing, followed shortly by, "Oh, is this thing on?" Our resident humorist takes on "hot mic" disasters.
Jul 18th, 2008 · Gathered around a large, vintage diaphragm microphone, the native West Virginians in Hillbilly Gypsies perform a mix of traditional and original Appalachian music before a crowd at the International Mother's Day Shrine.
Jun 9th, 2008 · These days, all it takes to make great music is a laptop and a mic. That said, it doesn't hurt if you also have a voice that channels Ben Gibbard, not to mention a keen sense for layering electronic blips and synths with real instruments. Mike Boggs, aka We Were Pirates, recorded his debut five-song EP, The Wolf, on his trusty iBook using the program GarageBand and two microphones. The homespun product is soft, beautifully textured electronic pop perfectly tailored for headphones listening.
Apr 23rd, 2008 · In order for scientists to measure the strength of a hurricane, they typically must rely on the tricky maneuver of flying an airplane through the storm. But a discovery from the field of underwater acoustics means it's possible to measure a hurricane's strength just by listening to the sounds it makes — under the sea.