HUMAN MICROBIOME TURNED INTO MUSIC

What did they do?

A team of synthetic biologists and musicians calling themselves Biota Beats created a piece of music using the human microbiome – the symbiotic microbial cells, mostly made up of bacteria, that live on and in the human body.

How did they do that?

The team took swabs of bacteria from their armpits, belly buttons, feet, mouths and private parts and placed them on a petri dish shaped like a vinyl record and let them grow. They then used a mathematical algorithm to translate the images of the bacteria colonies into sounds with a different sound or ‘instrument’ belonging to each colony.

What does it sound like?

The end result is a spooky ambient electronic symphony that sounds eerily like the sort of thing Aphex Twin might come up with. Have a listen for yourself at biotabeats.org