It always happens like this: I spot a Radiolab show on some scientific or philosophical topic that interests me. I download it. I listen to it while walking to work. At first, the sound effects rub me the wrong way—too many zips, zangs, zings, dings are used to colorfully illustrate this or that dry scientific matter. But I keep listening to the show, and eventually its hosts, Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, hit on something that never occurred to me, an idea that’s truly profound and original. This new idea immediately changes the way I see the world. Because the decade-old show is packed with music and sound effects, it’s easy to see how it can be successfully translated into a live performance. (Paramount Theater, 911 Pine St, www.stgpresents.org, 8 pm, $36–$46)