But why do humans find music so addictive and pleasurable?

但為何音樂如此令人愉悅又容易上癮呢？

At its core, music is the combination of audio frequencies and intricate patterns floating through the air and clashing together in your ear.

音樂的核心是音頻錯綜復雜的組合，飄過空氣並傳到你耳中碰撞在一起。

Much like your eyes process light, your ears process waves of sound and trigger a state of excitement and sometimes pleasure in your brain.

就像眼睛處理光線一樣，耳朵也會處理音波，並觸發腦部產生興奮或愉悅的感受。

Humans experience pleasure from many stimulants such as food, sex and drugs.

很多事物都能讓人類感到愉悅，諸如食物、性和藥物。

But because many of these stimulants are necessary for human survival, the body has created a system in which it rewards you for achieving them.

因為很多刺激物是人類生存不可或缺的，身體創造出了獎勵系統。

What's really happening is a release of a neurotransmitter in the brain called dopamine.

實際上就是大腦會釋出叫做「多巴胺」的神經傳導物質。

Dopamine is a chemical responsible for making you feel good.

多巴胺是種會讓你感到愉悅的化學物質。

When dopamine is released following a reward, such as a delicious meal or winning the lottery, the neurotransmitter causes a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction.

當你吃完美味大餐或贏得樂透時，大腦會釋放神經傳導物質多巴胺創造快樂、滿足的感受。

Drugs, such as cocaine take advantage of this pathway by increasing the amount of dopamine, or rather, preventing its removal,

藥物（如古柯鹼）就利用這點，透過增加多巴胺的量或阻礙它排出，

causing continual stimulation of your neurons, which creates intense moments of pleasure.

不斷刺激神經細胞，達到強烈的快感。

Music has the ability to create a state of arousal, causing pupils to dilate, blood pressure to rise, and the brain to fire in auditory, movement, and emotional regions.

音樂能創造一種興奮狀態，使人們瞳孔擴張、血壓上升，並刺激腦部聽覺、運動及情感區域。

And even though music does not have a direct survival benefit, this emotional reaction causes a release of the feel-good chemical dopamine.

即使音樂不是生存必須，這種情感反應仍能讓身體釋出令人愉悅的多巴胺。

Though the exact evolutionary reasoning is unclear, the amazing fact remains, music chemically alters our body and makes us feel great.

即便真正的發展原因不明，音樂神奇的功效仍然存在 -- 它透過化學物質影響人體，使我們感到愉悅。

And in the same way that a drug induced dopamine surge leaves you craving more, music becomes addictive.

而和藥物一樣，音樂也會引起多巴胺激增，令人上癮。

The dopamine tells your body it was rewarded and creates the desire to seek out more.

多巴胺告知身體知道收到獎勵，並創造尋求更多的慾望。

Even though music enjoyment is entirely subjective and intertwined with cultural and personal experience,

音樂體會完全主觀，且與文化及個人經驗密不可分，

the chemical effects remain consistent amongst the human race, a perfectly natural drug of happiness.

但所有音樂造成的化學反應都一樣，都是純天然的快樂良藥。

Got a burning question you want answered?

有迫不及待想解答的問題嗎？

Ask it in the comments or on facebook and twitter.

在留言區或上 facebook 和 twitter 發問。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

別忘了訂閱頻道，獲得更多每週科學影片。