Bloom - Microbial Bebop

ORIGINAL: YouTube

This musical composition was created from data of microbes (bacteria, algae and other microorganisms) sampled in the English Channel. Argonne National Laboratory biologist Peter Larsen created the songs as a unique way to present and comprehend large datasets. 

This composition highlights seasonal patterns in marine physical parameters at the L4 Station. The chords are generated from seasonal changes in photosynthetically active radiation. The melody of each measure is comprised of eight notes, each mapped to a physical environmental parameter, in the following order: 

• temperature, 
• soluble reactive phosphate, 
• nitrate, 
• nitrite, 
• saline, 
• silicate and c
• hlorophyll A concentrations. 

More information at http://www.anl.gov/articles/songs-key-sea

Photo of cyanobacteria colonies is courtesy Specious Reasons

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/28594931@N03/4726914132/) at Flickr via 

Creative Commons.