BEIJING, Sept. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Monkeys prefer heavy metal to classical music, according to researchers at the University of Wisconsin whose findings are published this week in Biology Letters.

    Scientists played a selection of music to a group of cotton-top tamarin monkeys but the only tunes that got a reaction were from the heavy metal band Metallica. They were seemingly disinterested in Led Zeppelin, Miles Davis and Bach, but after the dulcet tones of Master of Puppets by Metallica was played the tamarins calmed down.

    "Monkeys interpret rising and falling tones differently than humans. Oddly, their only response to several samples of human music was a calming response to the heavy-metal band Metallica," said Professor Charles Snowdon, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

    Rather than making them agitated or aggressive, the heavy metal tracks had a soothing effect. Dr Snowdon, who teamed up with National Symphony Orchestra cellist David Teie, also played the monkeys tunes composed specifically for them. Although they enjoyed Metallica, they were much more interested in these pieces.

    A melody based on the short calls of scared monkeys led to anxiety levels soaring, researchers found, while one based on long calls the creatures make when they are happy had a calming effect.

    Frans B.M. de Waal, a professor of psychology at Emory University who studies primates, said the findings appear to say more about how monkeys respond to the sounds they make than they do about music or the evolution of music.

    Dr Snowdon no longer has a monkey colony to use in his research, but he said his co-author David Teie is exploring the concept of music for cats.

    "If we understand how we can affect their emotional states through using musical tones and aspects of our speech, maybe those of us living with companion animals can have a better relationship with them, too," Snowdon said.

    (Agencies)