Music is a universal language. It kind-of makes us human. But why? Why does every culture around the world understand music? The answer may lie in what it does in our brains.

From mood regulation to immune system support, listening to music has measurable physiological effects on us. And learning to play music creates real differences in our brain structures that improve cognitive performance in several areas.

Some even argue that the development of music thousands of years ago shaped our species into what we are today, so let’s take a look at music, the most human thing we do.