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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Human evolution is all about survival of the fittest. Over thousands of generations, the weak have been weeded out, and the strong have survived. But how would that kind of natural selection work in other settings - like, say, music? Well, one biologist decided to find out. He designed a website where listeners can rate collections of notes according to their musicality. The nice sounds survive, and other users listen to them. But the ugly sounds die off.

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

This is June, the time of year when our friends at NPRMusic compile songs, artists and albums for something they like to call their Best of the Year So Far List. And we thought we'd give you a sampling of some of their favorites. We're focusing today on Latin alternative music.

Felix Contreras and Jasmine Garsd hosts NPR's online show Alt.Latino and they spoke to WEEKEND EDITION's Rachel Martin about the sounds that are catching their ears in 2012.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

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(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LIFE IS A BALL GAME")

SISTER WINONA CARR: (Singing) Life is a ball game being played each day. Life is a ball game being played...

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

If life is a ball game, well, Mike Pesca is our man courtside. We talk sports with him every Sunday. This week, we saw a lot of boiling hot temperatures around the country.

But, Mike, we should probably talk about a different kind of heat, I guess.

MIKE PESCA, BYLINE: Yes, the kind of heat that brings joy - to at least some people in South Florida.