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PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
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More autotuned music for science geeks

Category: Entertainment
Posted on: November 23, 2009 4:25 PM, by PZ Myers

Enjoy. This is part of a whole series at Symphony of Science.

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Comments

Posted by: Glen Davidson | November 23, 2009 4:30 PM

It won't be great until "billions and billions" is set to music.

Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/mxaa3p

Posted by: The Science Pundit | November 23, 2009 4:31 PM

I think these are getting better.

Posted by: Silič O'Nopolitanopoulos, Färschdbischuf Beesknees aus Ulm und Klein Elguth, Elector Pharynguline. | November 23, 2009 4:33 PM

Also congrats to Scott Hattfield for being featured on the Guardian's Science Weekly podcast.

By the sound of it, Meg Ryan approves.

Posted by: Tigana | November 23, 2009 4:34 PM

love this - hadn't seen the video before, just heard it on Skeptic Guide a couple of weeks ago. Definately checking the others out

Posted by: JRTate | November 23, 2009 4:39 PM

John Boswell's work on the Symphony of Science videos is nothing short of amazing. I can't stop listening to them. This latest one includes some quotes from Dawkins, making it a wonderful addition to the Sagan-centric series.

Be sure to check them all out if you haven't:
http://www.symphonyofscience.com/

Posted by: Steve Reilly | November 23, 2009 4:43 PM

WOW! Richard Dawkin's Parts are the best! That is not a subjective statement!! HAHA. His voice sounds Great!

I wonder if he's ever considered releasing a musical version of The Origin of Species, or The Selfish Gene??

I would totally blast that in my car or at the gym!

Posted by: Silič O'Nopolitanopoulos, Färschdbischuf Beesknees aus Ulm und Klein Elguth, Elector Pharynguline. | November 23, 2009 4:47 PM

I'd like to hear Jacob Bronowski, too, someday. (And I really should find and watch the series.)

Posted by: Andrew Ray Gorman | November 23, 2009 4:47 PM

How long until you are included, PZ? I know most of the 'singers' are passed away, but one could hope. For you to sing, not pass away.

Or perhaps they need to get some good clips of Einstein.

Posted by: knitmeapony | November 23, 2009 4:50 PM

I emailed the Symphony of Science gent and he said he'd like to include women, but he's having trouble finding video to use. Any thoughts? I'm poking around appropriate venues to get suggestions, I'll compile them and send them to him.

You can contact me at knitmeapony at gmail dot com or knitmeapony on twitter, if that floats your boat.

#10

Posted by: TSC | November 23, 2009 5:05 PM

Blast it Meyers! Anything with Sagan in it makes me cry.

#11

Posted by: SEF | November 23, 2009 5:09 PM

Perhaps something from this?

In the astronomy line, there's Heather Couper - and I'm disgusted at the way she's been written out of wikipedia's The Sky At Night page in favour of comparatively bit-partist males!* There should also be some ancient footage of Jocelyn Bell around (eg talking about the LGM signal).

#12

Posted by: MJ | November 23, 2009 5:11 PM

Mm, the last two did make me cry; this one less so. It might be the 'flu I had, or the fact that I find Sagan more inspiring than Dawkins (but I AM an astrophysicist, so...).

#13

Posted by: JackC | November 23, 2009 5:16 PM

Oh for goodness sake - Sagan only said "Billions and billions" once - when he said he had never said it - and then did.

Does that make any sense?

But ... it would totally make a good Autotune rif.

#14

Posted by: Peter Magellan | November 23, 2009 5:18 PM

@Glen, #1: how about four hundred billion?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc

#15

Posted by: Flabberbabble | November 23, 2009 5:20 PM

Will this be appearing on the album, "Music for Nerds to Make Out To"?

#16

Posted by: Adam | November 23, 2009 5:20 PM

I never thought I'd miss a man I'd never met, but Dr. Sagan voice always brings me to a certain sadness that he's gone.

#17

Posted by: Mejdrich | November 23, 2009 5:23 PM

Dawkins singing is the best part.

#18

Posted by: dWhisper | November 23, 2009 5:26 PM

One does not have to be a geek to appreciate just how good and moving these songs are.

#19

Posted by: knitmeapony | November 23, 2009 5:28 PM

@SEF, #11: Noted and thank you!

I've also been pointed at NOVAonline: The Secret Life of Scientists as well as Dr. Pamela Gay (from AstronomyCast)

And hoping that I can find some appropriate footage of Fossey and perhaps Goodall, tho' I'm not sure that Goodall's work is exactly the flavor of science he's looking for.

#20

Posted by: Peter Magellan | November 23, 2009 5:30 PM

BTW, has anybody shown this to Prof.* Dawkins? That would be a moment to capture for posterity... :-)

* Usage note: how do we address/refer to him now he's retired? Just wondering.

#21

Posted by: Glen Davidson | November 23, 2009 5:42 PM

Oh for goodness sake - Sagan only said "Billions and billions" once - when he said he had never said it - and then did.

You sure don't know what you're talking about.

Sagan challenged someone to find him saying "billions and billions" on Cosmos, which indeed could not be found.

But he'd said it in other contexts, as many people have, and he has a rather distinctive way of saying it, hence it was remembered.

I don't know why people think their mindless "recollections" stand in for actual facts. But it's certainly an anti-scientific way of reacting to the facts, kind of a slutty anti-intellectualism/anti-science.

Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/mxaa3p

#22

Posted by: llewelly | November 23, 2009 5:46 PM

Ok, A Glorious Dawn was beautiful, but the last two are just awful.

#23

Posted by: nyad | November 23, 2009 6:07 PM

Women as popularizers of science are not as common, but Jane Goodall is certainly a wonderful source of video and inspiration. Irene Pepperberg and her parrot Alex were prolific, although not as well known. Was Barbara McClintock's Nobel speech recorded? Perhaps there is wisdom and beauty to be found there as well.

#24

Posted by: UXO | November 23, 2009 6:26 PM

Ooof. Would any of us really like these if the subject matter were different? Say, ohhh, I dunno, Behe and a bunch of TV preachers?

Painful, man, painful. Autotuners ought to be illegal.

#25

Posted by: Insightful Ape | November 23, 2009 6:33 PM

I had no idea of Dawkins as an entertainer.
I liked Michiu Kaku, too.

#26

Posted by: otrame | November 23, 2009 6:43 PM

This is a new art form. Every single one of them has made me cry like a girl. Admittedly, I am a girl, but still.

I've even put my money where my mouth is and donated to Boswell, and I recommend everyone else do it too. Putting the passion and beauty expressed by those scientists to music so wonderfully deserves to be recompensed.

#27

Posted by: Glen Davidson | November 23, 2009 6:51 PM

A galaxy is composed of gas and dust and stars — billions upon billions of stars. —Carl Sagan, Cosmos, chapter 1, page 3

I guess the "Sagan didn't say billions and billions," at least in Cosmos hangs on the technicality that the particular reference in the book (I don't know if it shows up in the series) has "upon" in place of "and." Which barely matters. People would remember the plosive "billions and billions," and the real point is the "billions" said twice in his rather odd manner.

To be sure, I don't know of any exact place in which Sagan wrote or said "billions and billions," but at least I'd be surprised if he hadn't at some point. That's a literalistic demand, however, worthy only of fundamentalists. "Billions upon billions," whether in just the book or also in the series, is virtually the same damn thing.

If you think about it, though, "billions upon billions" is probably better--more plosives.

Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/mxaa3p

#28

Posted by: Silič O'Nopolitanopoulos, Färschdbischuf Beesknees aus Ulm und Klein Elguth, Elector Pharynguline. | November 23, 2009 6:52 PM

Carolyn Porco does public talks as well.

In her TED Talk she takes a flight among the moons of Saturn. I don't recall it, but I'd say it's likely to contain some more found poetry.

#29

Posted by: SEF | November 23, 2009 6:52 PM

I had no idea of Dawkins as an entertainer.

He had a small cameo role in a recent series of Doctor Who. I'm not sure how well he qualified as an "entertainer" on the basis of that though.

#30

Posted by: Uncephalized | November 23, 2009 7:45 PM

WANT MOAR!!

Anyone know how many of these are planned? They're all well-done and touching so far.

#31

Posted by: Nebula99 | November 23, 2009 7:46 PM

SEF, can you give me a link to that? It got taken off youtube. :(

On another note, this song wins. Boswell just keeps on creating beautiful music. He even managed to create a mostly civil and intelligent comment thread on one of the youtube videos of Glorious Dawn, just by aweing people into not being as crazy.

#32

Posted by: JoshS, Official SpokesGay | November 23, 2009 7:47 PM

OK, it's great people are interested enough in science and its popularization to go to the trouble. I love it. But. . .

Enough. Autotune. Please stop. It's getting irritating. Tired meme.

/grinch

#33

Posted by: SEF | November 23, 2009 7:57 PM

@ Nebula99 #31:

I saw it on real "live" (ie when broadcast) terrestrial TV, not this "youtube" of which you speak.

I'm not surprised it got taken off YouTube, though, if it was ever on it. It's a BBC thing. Though the (now dead but previously high up) lawyer member of my family reckoned broadcasters didn't have a legal leg to stand on once they'd publicly broadcast something into the aether; and was just itching for them to try it on and get officially smacked down - hence the notable absence of prosecutions actually taking place over alleged broadcast copying offences back then (because the broadcasters secretly knew themselves that they didn't have a valid case and didn't dare risk it!).

#34

Posted by: skylyre | November 23, 2009 7:59 PM

@ UXO

No way would I enjoy that. I personally like Symphony of Science simply because :drum roll: It's Science.

Heh. It's just another way of experiencing these amazing minds. It's cool with me.

And I know it's not just me that finds this one slightly "thrilling". Ooooh. This one sets a different mood.

#35

Posted by: Raymond | November 23, 2009 8:11 PM

What does everybody think of this paper claiming that "progress" in evolution can be defined?

http://hbdbooks.com/2009/11/progress-in-evolution/

#36

Posted by: Jon | November 23, 2009 8:32 PM

I really love this series. My fave is the second one, though.

#37

Posted by: Epikt | November 23, 2009 8:42 PM

Flabberbabble

Will this be appearing on the album, "Music for Nerds to Make Out To"?

It's only of (buffering) inter(buffering)est to nerds (buffering) who enjoy (buffering) (buffering) coitus (buffering) interruptus.

#38

Posted by: Rey Fox | November 23, 2009 9:14 PM

The gimmick's getting old.

#39

Posted by: mayhempix | November 23, 2009 9:19 PM

Thank you. I was moved to the edge of tears.

#40

Posted by: UXO | November 23, 2009 9:29 PM

@skylyre

No way would I enjoy that. I personally like Symphony of Science simply because :drum roll: It's Science.

My point exactly. This is "fingernails on a blackboard" territory for me, and the subject material just doesn't save it. I can't get past the autotuner, sorry - but hey, if you can, more power to you! :)

And the graphics! Where to begin? You know, this video may well illustrate precisely the disparity in understanding between "science types" and the unwashed masses: science types geek out on the content and can't understand why Joe Average doesn't get it. We (no, not the royal "we", the "science types" we) need better PR, and this video ain't helping.

#41

Posted by: Daffyd ap Morgen | November 23, 2009 9:42 PM

These are simply awesome. They're a great means to communicate concepts resonating throughout scientific exploration and research. They show the deeply moving humanity of scientists--how truly human science is.

#42

Posted by: UXO | November 23, 2009 9:51 PM

@Daffyd ap Morgen

They're a great means to communicate concepts resonating throughout scientific exploration and research.

I respectfully disagree. Communication isn't what's said, it's what's heard. I really don't think this'll get through to anybody who isn't already firmly in "our" camp.

Having watched it again (shudder) I think I may have been a little hard on the graphics - but only a little, and only the graphics. A couple of the cuts and clips just stuck with me as being pure 70's AV-club nerd-tastic, but overall, it wasn't quite as bad as my first impression. Still bad, just not "crime against humanity" bad.

Ew. Just. Ew.

#43

Posted by: BrightIncite.com | November 23, 2009 9:58 PM

This is one of the rare circumstances where I grant auto-tune has a useful application in art. Symphony of Science is a great way to get people thinking about the nature of the universe as an alternative to a mythologically based spiritual experience.

http://www.brightincite.com

#44

Posted by: Joey | November 23, 2009 10:04 PM

This is love-making music right here.

Mandate: Get it on!

#45

Posted by: chad | November 23, 2009 11:22 PM

That sucked so bad. I hate that kind of music. Feels like I'm getting a hair cut at Tony and Guy's.

#46

Posted by: Hypatia's Girl | November 23, 2009 11:31 PM

Im so glad other people can't listen to these without crying too. Or some grammatically correct version of that sentence.

I just showed the first two to my dear medical ethics class, to make up for the video about alternative medicine I'd just showed them. This is such a great idea!

And kudos to Knitmeapony for bringing women to the attention of Boswell!

#47

Posted by: skylyre | November 23, 2009 11:50 PM

I respectfully disagree. Communication isn't what's said, it's what's heard. I really don't think this'll get through to anybody who isn't already firmly in "our" camp.

I do kind of agree with you there. I think some predisposed love/admiration/understanding of the video content is necessary to enjoy it. If it happens to catch someone's attention, then that's just gravy.

I showed Glorious Dawn to my folks, and, as Carl Sagan fans, they thought it was neat.. but not much more heh. On the other hand, my three year old loves singing the beginning "Wooop! Awww." That's good stuff :)

#48

Posted by: Michael Simpson | November 24, 2009 12:15 AM

I love the auto-tune, despite what others are saying. Though the Symphony of Science is an incredibly beautiful implementation, giving crap to politicians is also fun.

#49

Posted by: John Scanlon, FCD | November 24, 2009 4:11 AM

My 3-year-old just sat through those three videos, not exactly mesmerised but soaking it up, pointing and naming earth, moon, stars, rocket-ship, saying 'what's that?' at the galaxy-rise, and commenting on the colours in the sky. Not pointing and laughing at the geeky scientists, but I suppose he's used to me. My favourite's A Glorious Dawn, but they're all good.

Epikt: use the pause button, switch between tabs, or download the mp3 for hands-free use. Or one-handed, if that's all you need.

#50

Posted by: DJDeedle | November 24, 2009 8:34 AM

DJDeedle has combined the first two autotuners PZ posted (Glorious Dawn and Symphony of Science 1) into one song. Check it out at:
http://djdeedle.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=541118

Perhaps I'll have to try my hand at adding in this third gem.

#51

Posted by: pough | November 24, 2009 11:50 AM