Cancer has a cacophonous melody (really?)
Well, in my opinion, the following is quite bizarre: Gil Alterovitz, an electrical and biomedical engineer with proteomics skills (and MIT alumnus, as well), is developing a computer program that translates protein and gene expression into music.
I’m not kidding. Recently, the Technology Review (TR) published an article on this guy’s conversion of genetic activity into music. “Harmony represents good health and discord indicates disease”, we learn from TR writer Jennifer Chu, and, in addition, that “Alterovitz hopes that doctors will one day be able to use his music to detect health-related changes in gene expression early through the musical slip into discord”.
Wow, what an impressive approach – at least at first sight.
However – are aficionados of unorthodox and experimental music, such as jazz, industrial hip-hop or the Second Viennese School, reading this? Well then? Do you agree with Alterovitz? Is it okay that he is linking healthiness to the tunes of classical and, say, folk music, whereas connecting illnesses to more uncommon harmonies? As a former heavy metal enthusiast I shouldn’t be amused…
In either case, Alterovitz’ computer programme is a funny plaything (and excellent means for him to find further funding, as I suppose maliciously…).
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