Music is found in every known human culture. It connects people, conveys emotions, and shapes identity. Yet our relationship with sound begins even before birth.
During the third trimester of pregnancy, the fetus develops the ability to perceive sounds, including the mother’s voice and musical patterns. Research suggests that newborns can recognize some of the melodies they were exposed to before birth, pointing to the early development of auditory memory.
From an anthropological perspective, music raises one of the most fascinating questions about humanity: Why have rhythm, melody, and sound accompanied humans throughout evolution?
• Kowalski, P. & Jastrzębska, A. (2026). The Influence of Music on Fetal and Neonatal Development: A Bibliometric Review. Applied Sciences, 16(5), 2468.
