Yes, you read the title correctly. It’s a rap. And it’s about the LHC.

I’ve often thought that physicists should rap more. OK, that’s a lie, I’ve never thought that. But after seeing the brilliant LHC rap, by science writer Katie McAlpine based at CERN, I’ve changed my mind. A small amount of digging reveals she’s not the only one to combine physics and rap.



Even FQXi director Max Tegmark had an April-Foolish go at immortalizing Einstein’s relativity in song, to the tune of The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine,” earlier this year. Sadly it was eclipsed by Mariah Carey’s chart-topping homage to Einstein also released that month. Bad timing.

Maybe physics really does need more music. After all, Boston University’s Kaca Bradonjic reckons physicists could put on the best concerts. In a recent paper in the American Journal of Physics, she suggested exploiting the Doppler effect to change the mood of the music heard by the listener. Sending the listener speeding off relative to the source of the music could shift a happy sounding major chord to a sad sounding minor chord, depending on the observer’s velocity.

So, will “Physics: The Musical,” an interactive extravaganza with the audience whizzing around the room to particle-physics raps and modified Beatles’ songs, all sung by Mariah Carey, soon hit Broadway?

(Image: CERN)

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Love the rap. At last I understand...they should have taught science like that when I was at school, I'd have paid a lot more attention!

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That was.. Horrible. Hooorriibblle... Atrocious. It was physically painful to listen to. Thumbs up for the effort, but don't quit your day job. (As a well-paid ultra-physicist with the power to annihilate mankind with the flick of a switch. Good luck with that btw)

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Kaća is a girl.

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Thanks. I've corrected the post.

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This was somewhat amusing and educating. Speaking of Doppler effect, Dopplereffekt is more like my bag. Check out thier entry on Discogs, note the 'Linear Accelerator' and 'Calabi Yau Space' releases and artwork. There's also a link to a myspace fan-site if you want hear what they sounds like. In my opinion aesthetically well in tune with the LHC.

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One has to admire the effort, and ask's the question what came first the music or the lyrics?...one has to first create the background (music I believe?), and then the 'creativeness' of the lyrics evole into song, great effort, it's not C-rap (CERN-RAP ! sorry: )...but I would call it a quality B-Rap :) great.

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I never liked rap either. But I like this song. Well done.

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