Pi: Earworms at the Science and Industry Museum

Gemma Gibb, Associate Editor

Visit now

Pi: earworms

27 April 2019

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Science Museum Group
Book now

It’s always a good time to be thinking about music in Manchester.

Love them or hate them, a full, free day of investigating the latest thinking on what causes pesky earworms, the snippets of music that stick with us, is being put on for us all by the team at Manchester’s mighty Science and Industry Museum and their partners, Siemens.

In true Mancunian, innovative style, researchers from the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) are currently researching these sonic beasts.

Meet the team, try some hands-on activities and experiments, and be the first to get the lowdown on this cutting edge research.

The Science and Industry Museum say “earworms are also known as stuck song syndrome, or Involuntary Musical Imagery (INMI), and are defined as a fragment of music that plays in a person’s mind without external stimulation (i.e. actually hearing music)”.

The RNCM’s Dr Michelle Phillips and Dr Ionna Filippidi, have been looking at the differences in involuntary musical imagery resulting after listening to live versus recorded music performances in collaboration with the Science and Industry Museum and The Bridgewater Hall.

Michelle says: ‘Music is universal, and learning what makes it replay in our minds is important in furthering our knowledge of the role of music in our lives.

‘We hope to not only learn about musical earworms in live performance, but also explore wider questions such as what makes music memorable, and how does our relationship with technology and the digital world influence our listening experiences?’

It’s exciting stuff which has big implications for the contemporary music industry.

We love the ethos behind Pi, the Science and Industry Museum’s monthly “platform for investigation” events. Inquisitive minds of all ages can take part in fun, free, drop-in sessions revealing up-to-the-minute research, all the latest discoveries and how they affect our lives.

Whether you have no current interest at all to the other extreme of geeking out over a subject, everyone is welcome and every question valid.

Each month’s event looks at a different theme from the world of science and technology.

You’ll never think of your earworms in the same way again.

Where to go near Pi: Earworms at the Science and Industry Museum

Manchester
Restaurant
Teppanyaki Chinatown

A Japanese teppanyaki restaurant in the centre of Chinatown. The focus is on high-quality food with a minimum of theatrics. It doesn’t disappoint.

Manchester
Music venue
Castlefield Bowl

The Castlefield Bowl is an outdoor events pavilion in the inner city conservation area of Castlefield in Manchester. The 8000-capacity arena is often used for food festivals and music events.

Great John Street Hotel in Spinningfields in Manchester.
Castlefield
Hotel
Great John Street Hotel

A converted Victorian school house nestled on the edge of Spinningfields, the Great John Street Hotel has a relaxed and decadent atmosphere.

Castlefield
Bar or Pub
Cask

Cask is a well-loved pub on Liverpool Road in Manchester. It has an excellent selection of continental beers and a cosy beer garden.

Castlefield
Event venue
Castlefield Viaduct

Launching in summer 2022, the National Trust and Twelve Architects and Masterplanners will be bringing a new lease of life to Castlefield Viaduct.

Campfield Open Day-3
Castlefield
Event venue
Campfield Market Hall

Having undergone years of transformative and restorative work, the complex will now be known as Campfield Mega Campus, Manchester’s most ambitious creative-tech destination.

Manchester
Restaurant
Fenix

Modern Greek Mediterranean cuisine from the team behind Tattu.

Altrincham
Shop
IDAHO

Every piece in IDAHO has something special and will guarantee to make your homes, offices and wardrobes feel a little more inspiring.

Castlefield
Theatre
Versa Manchester Studios

Formerly the Old Granada Studios, VERSA Manchester Studios is evolving into a dynamic Studio Campus with TV, Film, Motion Capture and VR / AR Studios alongside a glamorous new Soho House.

What's on: Families

Haphazard 2025 at Z-arts
FamiliesManchester
Haphazard 2025 at Z-arts

A free day of bizarre behaviour and exciting live performance at Z-arts. Expect the unexpected. Playful, unpredictable, and not easily forgotten.

Free entry
Africana and Caribbean Food Fest
FestivalsLeeds
African & Caribbean Food Fest 2025

Calling people of Leeds and beyond! The city’s favourite African and Caribbean Food Fest is back, and this year it’s turning up the heat with Harmony of Colours, a celebration…

Free entry

Culture Guides

Star Nhà Ease
Cinema in the North

July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.

Exhibitions in the North

Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre in the North

Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.

European Poetry Festival European Camarade
Literature Events in the North

From tongue-twisters to twisty page-turners, we have all kinds of spoken word surprises in the latest literature round-up.