We asked leading neuroscientists and previous SWC speakers, ‘What impact does music have on the brain?’. In this article, they reflect on its role in bonding social groups, its influence on our emotions and its potential as therapy for neurodegenerative disorders.

Curiosity, creativity and a drive to understand how the brain learns have shaped Dr Rachel Swanson’s path through art, biology and neuroscience. Now working at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre as a Senior Research Fellow, she combines experimental and computational approaches to explore how we learn and how sleep reshapes knowledge. In this article, Rachel reflects on the challenges and rewards of life in science.