Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by martyb on Thursday January 02 2020, @03:24PM   Printer-friendly
from the do-you-see-what-I-hear? dept.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-03938-x

Astronomy is inextricably associated with spectacular images and visualizations of the cosmos. But Wanda Diaz Merced says that by neglecting senses other than sight, astronomers are missing out on discoveries.

For 15 years, Diaz Merced, an astronomer at the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Office for Astronomy Outreach in Mitaka, Japan, has pioneered a technique called sonification. The approach converts aspects of data, such as the brightness or frequency of electromagnetic radiation, into audible elements including pitch, volume and rhythm. It could help astronomers to avoid methodological biases that come with interpreting data only visually, argues Diaz Merced, who lost her sight in her twenties.

Last month, she co-organized the IAU's first symposium dedicated to diversity and inclusion. The event, in Mitaka from 12 to 15 November, showcased, among other topics, efforts aimed at presenting cosmic data in formats that are accessible through senses other than vision.

Diaz spoke to Nature about how bringing these efforts to mainstream science would boost accessibility — and discoveries.

How one astronomer hears the Universe, (DOI: doi:10.1038/d41586-019-03938-x)


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 3, Touché) by ikanreed on Thursday January 02 2020, @04:19PM (1 child)

    by ikanreed (3164) Subscriber Badge on Thursday January 02 2020, @04:19PM (#938657) Journal

    She may have been doing it for 15 years, but it was featured prominently as a plot element in Contact(1997), so "pioneered" seems a bit excessive.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Touché=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Touché' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   3  
  • (Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Thursday January 02 2020, @06:34PM

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Thursday January 02 2020, @06:34PM (#938735)

    Watching static on TV screens was an overdramatized plot element... and they were listening to radiotelescope data, not "looking" at stars.

    --
    🌻🌻 [google.com]