This classic video from the World Science Festival in 2009 is an eye-opening experience if you’ve never seen it. I highly recommend singing along!
It seems that the pentatonic scale, which he demonstrates in his interactive performance, has a universality that we don’t quite understand. This is particularly amazing because every culture has their own unique musical expression, with different scales, intervals, notes, and rhythms. Despite all the staggering variety, the pentatonic scale appears to be a common thread.