Heart Attack? Play Some '70s Disco!

Disco music from the 1970s is rather looked down upon today, however the BBC reports that it could help to save lives. Specifically the 1977 Bee Gees' song Stayin' Alive could significantly improve the chances of a heart attack victim doing just that.

Unfortunately the music of the brothers Gibb doesn't have any magical powers in itself, but it could help anyone performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the patient. The song has 103 beats per minute (BPM) - very close to the recommended BPM of 100 for CPR. Researchers from the by the University of Illinois College of Medicine found that students practising CPR whilst listening to Stayin' Alive averaged a CPR rate of 109 BPM. Five weeks later they practised without music but mentally listening to the song. This time the result was 113 BPM - but apparently too fast is better than too slow.

That's what you call a pumping beat.