Remember String Theory? It was perhaps Physic’s most elegant, if unproven, candidate for a Theory of Everything…OK, then, here’s a creative challenge:
Could you come up with a viral video concept based on String Theory? Well, you might start by expounding on it to the tune of one of the most popular songs in rock ‘n’ roll history…
Vocalist and musician Tim Blais, the star of the now viral Youtube video (over 1.4 million hits in just over a week, and growing), calls it “Bohemian Gravity” and its homage to Queen’s rock-operatic epic is brilliant, even as its encapsulation of the arcane (and unconfirmed) intricacies of String Theory is borderline genius, if seriously sardonic…and, harmonically perfect (as it would need to be to do rightful homage to the BohRhap)…and all without a string section (cough, couldn’t resist)…
Why String Theory? Apparently, the whole idea grew out of a Master’s thesis…according to Mr. Blais’s video outro…but it’s not clear exactly what the thesis was…In any event, the timing seems appropriate.
Ever since last year’s confirmation of the Higgs boson (aka the “god particle”, a term many physicists hate), yet little else (no super partner particles, sniff), many theoretical physicists have been singing String Theory’s swan song…but none quite as artfully or hilariously as Mr. Blais…
And with tasty lyrics like:
Space is a pure void, why should it be stringy…?
and
Baryons, baryons…and other states of matter…
How could it possibly NOT go viral? Oh, and just for good measure, throw in an Einstein SOCK PUPPET to clinch the “paired meme synergy” for guaranteed viral video immortality.
Meanwhile, Mr. Blais is now “degreed” and thinking of pursuing a career in music, with more science-themed tunage in his future…So, subscribe to his channel if you want to be one of the first in line for his next epic, sung-science viral hit.
The song “Bohemian Gravity” is available through iTunes and Amazon (thanks to some Canadian copyright loophole, I believe)…
And, in case you were wondering, yes, Queen guitarist Brian May (who is also an astrophysicist) is a big fan…
Ok, here’s the music vid…put on your earphones and bliss out to some harmoniously humorous theoretical physics…
Top Image: a Calabi Yao geometry (one of thousands that comprise the “strings’ in String Theory) – Original uploader was Lunch at en.wikipedia; CC-BY-SA-2.5.
Elegant.
Elegant.