Scientists often use a lot of stark facts to communicate their data and this style of communicating is not effective for everyone.
A student from the University of Minnesota, Daniel Crawford, has come up with entirely different approach – he’s using his cello skills to communicate the latest climate science through music. Through a conversation with his geography professor, Scott St. George, A Song of Our Warming Planet was born.
“‘Data visualizations are effective for some people, but they aren’t the best way to reach everyone,’ says St. George. ‘Instead of giving people something to look at, Dan’s performance gives them something they can feel.’
Crawford based his composition on surface temperature data from NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies. The temperature data were mapped over a range of three octaves, with the coldest year on record (–0.47 °C in 1909) set to the lowest note on the cello (open C). Each ascending halftone is equal to roughly 0.03°C of planetary warming.
The video ends with a stark message: Scientists predict the planet will warm by another 1.8 degrees Celsius (3.2 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of this century. This additional warming would produce a series of notes beyond the range of human hearing.”
True behavior change comes from within, and this haunting song turned viral video is a brilliant bridge of communication in giving people climate data they can feel.
Share your thoughts on the video in the comments below.
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