Good Vibes

The nature of our reality is a profound inquiry that has captivated scientists, philosophers and thinkers for millennia. How does the physical world work and how can we make sense of it? The ancient Pythagoreans, after uncovering the mathematical nature of musical notes and harmony 2500 years ago, proposed that the Universe was a mystifying union of mathematics, music and matter. Fast forward to the present day and groundbreaking scientific discoveries from quantum physics to biology and neuroscience are adding to the mystery. This project unravels the most interesting scientific knowns and unknowns, linking vibration, the nature of our reality and music. THE COSMIC DANCE OF VIBRATION The concept of vibration echoes in both Eastern philosophies and modern quantum physics, encapsulating the idea that all matter is in constant motion, singing its own unique song of existence. Nicolas Tesla stated “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration” and he was right. Everything in our Universe, from atoms to galaxies, and even objects that seem to be still, are spinning, oscillating and vibrating, at various frequencies. From the smallest scales and sub-atomic particles, to the nuclear fusion in dying stars and the workings of our brains, resonance -another word for synchronized vibration- is the heart of physical reality. The Universe hums with the vibrations of its elements, that underpin the essence of matter and weave the fabric of reality itself. Quantum Field Theory imagines atoms as vortices radiating their unique energy signature on energetic fields that make up the entire Universe and ripple in groovy and interesting ways. THE FINELY TUNED UNIVERSE How the fundamental principles of our Universe resonate with the principles of music and vibration is offered by physicist and jazz musician Stephon Alexander. In a musical improvisation, a musician has different notes available for playing at a given moment in time and the final melody is determined by the chosen notes. In quantum physics, a particle is in multiple states at the same time and the final state is determined when the particle is observed. In a sense, particles improvise their journey through spacetime, influenced by the laws of physics, their interaction with other particles and spacetime itself. These laws, which created the required conditions for carbon to be forged in the cores of stars, needed our Universe to be finely tuned like an instrument that produces the precise pitch of a note. Any deviation from these laws and the nuclear processes that created the carbon that DNA is made of would not have taken place and the grand symphony of life as we know it would not have been written. ROCK OPERA OF LIFE ON EARTH Imagine an early Earth. Amino-acids raining from meteor showers in hot rock pools mix with lipids – organic molecules with membranes. During endless cycles of dehydration and rehydration, these organics are glued together forming complex ensembles, most of them inert until one day a precious few evolved into the first living entity: the protocell. Just like in a rock solo where the rhythm repeats itself in a cycle and the improviser gets to try different ideas, life on Earth may have been the outcome of billions of improvised biochemical iterations over a rhythmical planetary melody and harmonising through spontaneous self-organisation to form the intricate composition of life. Bruce Damer's theory is the headlining theory for the emergence of life on Earth. THE HARMONIOUS MIND The patterns that emerge from resonant vibration give a deeper insight into the harmony of the Cosmos. Cymatics offers a visual representation of sound. When sand or water is sprinkled on a surface that is vibrated at a specific frequency, a pattern of standing waves appears. These patterns resemble shapes found in nature in diatoms, tortoise shells and coats of mammals and in mandalas, the geometric designs that represent the Universe in Hindu and Buddhist symbolism. Novel science on neural activity revealed that when our neurons harmonise the brain produces strikingly similar patterns to cymatic shapes. MRI scans confirm that under the influence of psychedelics the brain enters a high energy state and resonance may facilitate the emergence of consciousness. Could it be that hippy sayings about vibes and frequency were just not smoke after all, man? Who knows. The links between cymatics, nature's geometry, mandalas and the function of our brain do sing -like Quantum Field Theory suggests- songs of the interconnectedness of everything. UNRAVELLING THE SYMPHONY Whether music is a human construct or an emergent phenomenon of our reality is an enigma. The most intriguing aspect of this cosmic symphony lies not in the isolated significance of science and music, but in their symbiotic interdependence, like the sound of a musical note is the result of an infinite number of its underlying harmonic overtones combined into a unified expression. CERN, the Max Planck Institute and California Institute of Integral Studies are trying to bridge the gap between perception and reality. This project brings together organisations and individuals like Stephon Alexander, Bruce Damer, Vera Brandes, Mark James, Alexandre Tannous, Susana Bustos, Dylan Van Der Schyff, musicians The Rising Appalachia and others working on the connections and the mysteries that bind the Universe and human consciousness.