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Space Music

Posted by michael on from the sound-of-silence dept.

KeelSpawn writes "CNN is running an article about "sounds in outer space", which begins: "University of Iowa astrophysicist Donald Gurnett first heard the sounds on a spacecraft in 1962 and it reminded him of music. The sounds, which resemble whistles, bird chirps and booms, would not be heard by someone in space but are picked up by sensitive radio equipment. The sounds will be blended into a performance this autumn by the Kronos Quartet when they play at Hancher Auditorium at the University of Iowa in Iowa City." The U. of Iowa has a page about the concert.

9 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. but in space... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny


    no-one can hear you scream

  2. Copyright by SashaM · · Score: 3, Funny

    Wouldn't it infringe on this? On the other hand, I think god can afford more lawyers than John Cage's music publishers.

  3. Uh oh by Glint · · Score: 5, Funny

    Imagine that the only transmission from Earth that makes it to some alien civilization is this concert, and they disregard it as background noise.

    Tragic.

    - Adam

  4. Sounds by af_robot · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...The sounds, which resemble whistles, bird chirps and booms...

    Sounds just like the latest "Chemical brothers" album...

  5. 2001 by Ilan+Volow · · Score: 5, Funny

    And to think for years I thought the background noise of space was complete and total silence interspersed with Strauss' Blue Danube Waltz. Damn you, Stanley Kubrick!

    --
    Ergonomica Auctorita Illico!
  6. Re:Kronos Quartet? by IvyMike · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't think it's possible, although maybe someone else can help me out. Kronos Quartet was formed in 1973; I don't think that the Klingon homeworld was actually called "Kronos" in the original series. It wasn't used until after the formation of the "Kronos Quartet". But then again, I'm not a Trek expert. Anybody out there have a definitive reference on when the word "Kronos" was first used in the Star Trek mythos?

  7. If a tree falls....... by phunhippy · · Score: 3, Funny

    So if a tree falls and space, and no one is around to hear it... Does it make music?

  8. Re:The starfields are alive with the sound of musi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Hearing sounds in space isn't difficult at all. On a recent episode of Enterprise, Captain Archer told Hoshi to warn a nearby Vulcan ship that they were about to make a loud noise. Two crew members on a comet set off an explosion. Boom! Very loud sound! Set the Vulcans to wondering, was such a violation of the laws of physics an indicator that they might only be fictional characters in an early 21st century earth television series where physical laws take a back seat to special effects? Serious existential crisis.

  9. There's a key difference in their works by robolemon · · Score: 4, Funny
    John Cage: 4 minutes and 33 seconds

    This song: 4 minutes (right ascension) and 33 light-seconds

    --

    I design user interfaces for a free network management application,