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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · 1d

📢 Call for Abstracts!

The 2nd Annual Conference on #AestheticDevelopment takes place on Nov 20, 2025, at the MPIEA. We invite submissions on how children engage with and develop through the arts.

🗓 Deadline: Oct 12, 2025
🔗 indico.ae.mpg.de/event/29/abstracts/
#Aesthetics #Conference

Visual with a Call for Papers for the 2nd Annual Conference on Aesthetic Development.

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · 7d

Today is a special day for us—it's #InternationalMusicDay! We investigate why and how people create art and how they perform, experience, and evaluate it, with a particular focus on #music. Learn more about our diverse #research 👉 ae.mpg.de/en

Person wearing EEG cap plays keyboard with sheet music on a tablet stand.

Woman in silver sari plays tanpura with eyes closed, audience silhouette in foreground.

Two pianists perform on grand pianos with cables and electronic equipment around them.

Rapper in red jacket performs on stage under red lights, crowd raises hands.

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · 14d

We look forward to welcoming the next generation of scientists!

Max Planck School of Cognition @mps-cognition.bsky.social · Sep 4

The new application cycle for our fully funded international graduate program has just started. You can now apply via our website, sign up for a Q&A, or participate in the Applicant Support Program cognition.maxplanckschools.org/en ! 👍🏻🧠👏🏾#passionforscience, #maxplanckschools

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Reposted by Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics

Max Planck School of Cognition @mps-cognition.bsky.social · Sep 4

The new application cycle for our fully funded international graduate program has just started. You can now apply via our website, sign up for a Q&A, or participate in the Applicant Support Program cognition.maxplanckschools.org/en ! 👍🏻🧠👏🏾#passionforscience, #maxplanckschools

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · 16d

#Sexlessness: Why do some people never have #sex, even later in life? A new study, conducted by @amsterdamumc.bsky.social and the University of Queensland alongside researchers of our Institute, explores this fascinating question.

Check out the @pnas.org paper here: doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2418257122

A large, blue-grey, abstract silhouette of a person in front of a background of numerous red-orange figures.

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · 19d

We’re excited to welcome Kaj Duncan David as our new INHABIT artist-in-residence! The renowned composer and performer explores connections between human and synthetic sounds to craft musical dialogues—something he’ll further develop at our Institute.

Find out more: ae.mpg.de/INHABIT

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · 22d

Photo: Katrien Segaert

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · 22d

Congratulations to @davidpoeppel.bsky.social of the MPIEA, the recipient of the 2025 Distinguished Career Award! The Society for the Neurobiology of Language honored his research, which has advanced our understanding of how the brain processes language. s.gwdg.de/rnHI4J

#SNL2025 #Neuroscience

Two men on stage, a screen in the background, the man on the right is presenting the other man with an award.

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · 28d

You’ve probably heard all about AI taking over the world. So how about a fresh perspective? On Sept 17, 7 p.m. The MPIEA hosts a concert where 3 pianists improvise live—with each other and an AI-inspired system.

Curious? Find more info and the link to our livestream here: ae.mpg.de/musicaldialogues

Visual with information on the event "Creative Musical Dialogues Between Human and Machine"

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Jul 8

Congratulations to Fredrik Ullén, Director of the MPIEA, on receiving the 2025 Mensa Foundation Prize! He was honored for his pioneering #research on the neural basis of expertise through the lens of #music practice.

Read more: s.gwdg.de/EgiytW

(Photo: Sandy Marak)

MPIEA Director Fredrik Ullén with the Foundation Prize award. (Photo: Sandy Marak)

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Jun 17

@harinlee.info @norijacoby.bsky.social @researchdeezer.bsky.social

Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Jun 17

🎶 How does urban life influence our music choices?
An international research team analyzed the listening habits of 2.5 million people in France, Brazil, and Germany. The study found that urban dwellers select more diverse music compared to rural populations.

Read more: s.gwdg.de/9bdw1Q

A man wearing a black quilted jacket, a black backpack, and headphones is seen from behind in the foreground. The blurred background shows a street with red buses passing by and high-rise buildings.

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Jun 12

escross.bsky.social

Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Jun 12

What makes us enjoy contemporary dance? 🕺 Researchers at our Institute found that both subjective and objective factors influence our evaluation. In particular, the expressiveness of the dance, but also our age, gender, and personality.

Out now in cognitionjournal.bsky.social: s.gwdg.de/tVWVff

A dancer in a black motion capture suit in a dynamic pose. In the foreground, silhouettes of an audience and a camera can be seen.

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Jun 10

🧠 Our #brain is part of us—yet still a mystery. A new study from our Institute reveals how it syncs with rhythmic #sounds and how electrical currents can influence this.

Dive deeper: s.gwdg.de/kj7cxy
@ycabral.bsky.social

A man in black and white seen from behind with blond hair and a hoodie, with blue and white cables attached to his head. To the right and left of his ears are fine wavy lines in blue, pink, and orange.

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Jun 6

Congrats on the successful study 💐

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · May 15

Congrats on the paper 👏

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · May 13

A new acoustic research set has been developed at our Institute: "CoVox" offers over 1,300 recordings of 22 singers in 5 vocal styles. It is a rich resource for the study of speech and singing—providing many opportunities for further research!

Check it out: s.gwdg.de/rOdgOK

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Apr 30

@standehaene.bsky.social @olejensen.bsky.social @davidrichter.bsky.social

Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Apr 30

What is consciousness? 🧠💭 An international research team set out to challenge two theories of #consciousness and offer new perspectives on the way we study complex scientific questions.
Find out more: s.gwdg.de/fvr2jk
Read the full publication -> s.gwdg.de/fs30Th

A group of scientists wearing white lab coats stand in a futuristic observation room, gazing out a large window into space. Outside, a planet shaped like a human brain floats among the stars, half resembling Earth's surface and half appearing translucent, showing neural structures. Some scientists hold sketches of brains, others point and discuss excitedly, while a few study brain diagrams on paper and computer screens.

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Apr 29

To celebrate #InternationalDanceDay, we met our researcher Julia F. Christensen to discuss the benefits of dancing! Find out more and how to implement dancing into your daily life.

Take part in Julia's dance study → ae.mpg.de/DanceSurvey

More studies → ae.mpg.de/takepart

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Apr 23

It's #WorldLaboratoryDay!

In our lab, we use a variety of methods to explore how people create, perform, experience, and evaluate art and music.

Curious? Take a look—or join us right away:
👉 ae.mpg.de/takepart

Audio source: Hip-Hop-Upbeat by Jamendo, AdobeStock

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Apr 17

If you enjoy working in the field of #sound #engineering and are interested in #scientific #research, you can become part of our team! 🙌 Apply for the position of a Student Assistant (m/f/d) for the Department of #Music: e-recruiting.pro/jobposting/8...

Visual with text "We are hiring!" with link to the job listing: ae.mpg.de/jobs

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Apr 11

🎵 Why do some people enjoy #music more than others? New findings published in @naturecomms.bsky.social show that our capacity to enjoy music is partly inherited, with 54% of music enjoyment variability linked to #DNA differences: doi.org/10.1038/s414...

@mpi-nl.bsky.social @ki.se #BehaviorGenetics

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Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics @ae.mpg.de · Apr 10

Why do books have to be beautiful and what makes them beautiful? 📖✨
Join Carolin Blöink (@stiftungbuchkunst.bsky.social) as she discusses the criteria for judging beautiful #books in our next #LibraryTalks on Thurs. April 24, 6 p.m. (in German).
More information ➔ ae.mpg.de/LibraryTalks

Library Talks Ankündigung: Warum müssen Bücher schön sein?

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