Acoustics in space
My initial thoughts around acoustics and space were around the whole ‘no one can hear you scream in space’ and it led me to think is that because there is no one else to hear you scream or something to do with the fact there is no air to carry the sound waves/vibrations. You can understand immediately I am no scientist, but I am fascinated with where science and humanity converge, and the potential offshoots of these points of collision.
I’ve been having some thoughts on music, art, and culture from the perspective of living on a space station for extended periods. What if you can’t paint, play your instrument of choice or listen to music all just for joy?
In 2013, Chris Hadfield performed David Bowie’s Space Oddity from the International Space Station https://youtu.be/KaOC9danxNo and has demonstrated that it’s possible to play an acoustic guitar in zero gravity. At the time of writing the video of this extraordinary rendition has had over 50 million views on YouTube. An astounding level of interest in an astonishing event. I personally love watching his wristwatch jiggle about in zero gravity while he plays some acoustic guitar riffs.
There is plenty of footage of humans in space which has attracted nothing like this volume of audience. What is it about the juxtaposition of a beautiful composition being performed against the breath-taking backdrop of our fragile planet which provides a new perspective on both, and gives us a new appreciation of creativity? The forces that created the universe are incomprehensible to many of us and the talent and originality which generates works like Space Oddity is similarly elusive but somehow when the two intersect, it helps us make sense of both. https://youtu.be/XeC4nqBB5BM another example of this would be Cady Coleman and Ian Anderson’s flute duet. Loving her hair in this!
After all, what would be the point of the universe existing if there was no-one to observe and be awed by it? Nature’s amazing gift has been to allow us to evolve and as our species travels ever further into space it is important that we find ways of taking one of our species’ defining traits with us – our creativity.
At Spaceium Technologies we are thinking about solutions to this, and countless other challenges we need to overcome and working with like-minded companies to drive the innovation needed to ensure we don’t merely reach space but thrive there.
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