Course

Senior Inquiry

Document Type

Student Paper

Publication Date

6-10-2025

Disciplines

Astrophysics and Astronomy | Data Science | Music

Description, Abstract, or Artist's Statement

Data sonification is a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary field that involves the transformation of data into sound. As the amount of data collected in today’s world continues to rise exponentially, new collaborations between scientists, mathematicians, and musicians are exploring the potential applications of sonification. Turning data into sound can create new avenues for interpretation and can increase accessibility for visually-impaired populations. The sonic renderings produced by this practice exist on a spectrum from sound to music and vary in their levels of objectivity and expressivity. One of the major areas where data sonification is providing a new scientific and artistic perspective is in the field of astronomy. This paper provides an overview of the ways in which data sonification is being used in astronomy and presents an analysis of some specific works created as a part of NASA’s Sonification Project, “A Universe of Sound.” Also included is a brief discussion of data sonification's role in other disciplines such as medical and climate research.