Culture

World Dispatch: The universe sounds a lot like Radiohead

This project converted solar system data into audio and it sounds like a Radiohead song. We listen to it today on The Outline World Dispatch.

Culture

Space sounds

Culture

World Dispatch: The universe sounds a lot like Radiohead

This project converted solar system data into audio and it sounds like a Radiohead song. We listen to it today on The Outline World Dispatch.

Every Monday through Thursday, The Outline World Dispatch brings you stories about Power, Culture, and the Future. We guarantee you’ll feel smarter and more hydrated. Hosted by yours truly.

Over the last year, astrophysicist and musician Matt Russo has been turning NASA data into musical compositions. Orbital data he gathers creates a note every time a planetary body or asteroid passes a set point. It turns out the universe, in its vast expanse, is slowly churning out something that sounds a lot like Radiohead’s “True Love Waits.”

Today on the show I spoke with Joe Veix, who has been following the project. It’s eerily beautiful. The solar system isn’t sad per se, but for whatever reason, Russo’s experiment produced one of the saddest songs.

Like what you hear? We like you, too. So let’s make it official. Subscribe to us at any of the places below.

Pocket Casts / Overcast / Stitcher / TuneIn / Alexa / Anchor / 60 dB / RadioPublic / RSS / “OK Google, play news from The Outline.”

Culture

Our solar system sounds like a depressed Radiohead cover band

An experiment that converts NASA data into music reveals how sad a planet can be.
Read More