Polymath Professor sounds off on how noise can make you smarter.

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You suggest that adding the right amount of random signal can actually enhance reception.

Adding small amounts of electrical noise helps a nanotube antenna
detect faint binary signals. And noise can help digital photographers,
too – injecting a little bit of random pixel noise can allow you
to see hidden details in an overexposed image.

Can background music make you smarter?
The more
you can concentrate with background noise, the more it strengthens the
brain. Isaac Asimov used to set his typewriter up in stores and other
loud places to work. His claim was that you get really good at writing
when you’re in a crowd. You want to be energized by that
background noise, rather than distracted.