The Jazz of Physics: The Secret Link Between Music and the Structure of the Universe

Alexander, Stephon

ISBN 10: 0465034993 / ISBN 13: 9780465034994

Published by Basic Books, 2016

About this Item

1st edition. 272 pages. 9.50x6.25x1.25 inches. In Stock.

Seller Inventory # 0465034993

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Jazz of Physics: The Secret Link Between Music and the Structure of the Universe
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Publication Date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0465034993
• ISBN 13: 9780465034994
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Brand New
• Weight: 0.49 kilograms

About this title

Synopsis

A spectacular musical and scientific journey from the Bronx to the cosmic horizon that reveals the astonishing links between jazz, science, Einstein, and Coltrane

More than fifty years ago, John Coltrane drew the twelve musical notes in a circle and connected them by straight lines, forming a five-pointed star. Inspired by Einstein, Coltrane put physics and geometry at the core of his music.

Physicist and jazz musician Stephon Alexander follows suit, using jazz to answer physics' most vexing questions about the past and future of the universe. Following the great minds that first drew the links between music and physics-a list including Pythagoras, Kepler, Newton, Einstein, and Rakim — The Jazz of Physics reveals that the ancient poetic idea of the "Music of the Spheres," taken seriously, clarifies confounding issues in physics.

The Jazz of Physics will fascinate and inspire anyone interested in the mysteries of our universe, music, and life itself.

About the Author

Stephon Alexander is a professor of theoretical physics at Brown University, an established jazz musician, and an immigrant from Trinidad who grew up in the Bronx. He is the 2020 president of the National Society of Black Physicists and a founding faculty Director of Brown University's Presidential Scholars program, which boosts underrepresented students. In addition to his academic achievements, he was the scientific consultant to Ava DuVernay for the feature film A Wrinkle in Time. His work has been featured by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, WIRED, and many other outlets. He has been a guest on Nova, the “Brian Lehrer Show”, and Neil deGrasse Tyson's “StarTalk,” among much else. The author of Fear of a Black Universe and The Jazz of Physics, Alexander lives in Providence, Rhode Island.