You have to listen very, very closely, but yes, cells produce a symphony of sounds. Although they won’t win a Grammy anytime soon, the various audio blips produced by cells are giving scientists insight into cellular biomechanics and could even be used to help detect cancer.

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For six years after a brutal beating, a 38-year-old man lay in a minimally conscious state, effectively unable to communicate. Then, with the permission of his family, a team of neuroscientists at New York–Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical College and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation attempted a last-resort experimental treatment known as deep brain stimulation, or DBS. Using brain scans as a guide, they implanted tiny electrodes deep in the man’s head and wired them to a pacemaker-like device beneath his collarbone.

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The Five-Minute Project in the November 2006 issue, “The Nine-Volt Safe,” involved sliding off the top of a nine-volt battery. Although experts advised us that it is not normally dangerous, and we tried the project ourselves without incident, it has come to our attention that in rare instances, the cells inside the battery can “vent” or rupture, potentially exposing the handler to the chemicals inside. Given even the small chance of injury related to this project, we advise you not to undertake it.

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