Phunny Phobias
If you met someone who was afraid of paper or wax statues, wouldn't you tell them to stop being so ridiculous and get over it? Every Monday, Null editor Hayley hand-picks another bizarre phobia and tries to work out whether it's real or rubbish.
This week, in honour of Geek Pop '08:
Melophobia: fear of music
What's so scary about it?
Music can, in fact, be very frightening for some people. Oliver Sack's excellent Music and the Brain describes something called musical epilepsy - where specific genres of music trigger fits. In another strange condition, patients experience loud bursts of music in their heads that they can't turn off.
What do the scientists say about it?
Nothing much, but Dido's producer seems to have called his website Melophobia...
Hayley says:
"I reckon if I was Dido's producer, I'd have developed a bit of a distaste for music as well. Real."
So far: Real 17 Rubbish 18
Find phunny phobias from other weeks here.
Null's other regular features:
Tuesday: Nutty Nomenclature
Wednesday: Doctor Doctor
Thursday: Peculiar Periodicals
Friday: End of week timewasters
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