Is It True that You Can Charm a Snake with Music? Science Fiction

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Hi, everybody, and welcome to Science Fiction,

the show which leaves no stone unturned

in the search for scientific truth.

Hello! Hello, truth, are you in there?

Ow!

So, Bud-E, what's today's question?

Oh, sorry, Doc. Just practising a few scales there.

Today's question comes from Toby in Nairobi.

First of all, Toby, snakes don't even have ears.

Oh, that's grand, so end of story. Good luck, Toby.

-Well, hang on a minute, Professor.

-Huh?

Snakes experience sound waves as vibrations through their skin,

in a similar way to our sense of touch,

so they are aware of sound, but just not in the same way as us.

I suppose you could say, Dr Knowles, they've no appreciation of music.

A snake charmer usually keeps the snake

locked inside a basket for long periods of time.

When the lid is suddenly removed, the bright light frightens the snake

and its natural reaction is to stand up and assume a defensive pose.

Coiled up, ready for a fight.

Once the snake is standing up,

it naturally follows the movements of the flute from side to side,

a bit like a boxer shadowing their opponent.

So you mean they're not hypnotised at all, like?

They're just really annoyed?

Exactly. The sad truth is that most snake charmers

don't treat their animals very well at all.

Oh, that's awful. I think I'll go back to monkey tickling.

It's much safer.

Heh-heh! Hoo! Ha-ha!

MONKEY SCREECHES

So now you know the truth behind the illusion, Toby.

You can't charm a snake with music.

So that's just a load of old science fiction.

Dr Knowles, do you think it's possible to hypnotise a hippo,

or put ants in a trance?

Ha! I've loads of them.