The Spider's Secret
It is cliché that mathematics is the language of Science; recent discoveries reveal thatin a related and perhaps even more fundamental way, Music may truly be thelanguage of Nature.
Just as my dog whines and tries to stop me when I playdiscordant music on my piano - new findings show that we may be biologically"hardwired" in our response to aesthetically pleasing or displeasingmusic. Evidence suggests that music may be encoded in the smallest proteinmolecules comprising living things. Recent experiments from MIT report efforts torepresent manmade silk fibers as musical compositions - using the underlyingproteins in the synthetic silk as "notes". The researchers found remarkable similaritiesbetween the physical properties of the silk and the aesthetic sound and feel ofits associated music. In other words silk with good physical propertiesproduced pleasing music!
Sound Healing investigators and certain students ofantiquity, have believed for some time, that Sound in general and Music inparticular, hold great potential for revealing deeper understanding of theuniverse around us. Furthermore, the informed application of precise energy -in the form of sound frequencies - can benefit us on many levels: emotionally,physically, intellectually and spiritually.
The MIT research team attacked their work (to synthesizesilk fibers in the lab), with the novel approach of replicating building-blockprotein molecules. The large multidisciplinary team, including engineers,biomedical experts, mathematicians and musical composers, formulated syntheticsilk in a systematic manner - as a model for future synthetic material designwork. They began by building a computer model of natural silk and then identifiedthe underlying bio-materials responsible for the unique light weight,subtleness and extraordinary strength of spider silk.
These researchers modified silk producing genes and createda device to copy the spider's silk spinning organ. After extensive work, they produced a varietyof synthetic silk strands. Two of the experimental "silks" stand out:one of the new protein combinations yielded extremely strong silk molecules -but the catch was, these proteins did not adhere to each other as a thread -useless. The second material contained weaker protein molecules that adheredtogether strongly and made an excellent thread - what natural silk proteins do- success. It was not enough to produce strong proteins alone - they mustinterconnect properly and form a coherent strand on a large scale; there mustbe an cohesive architecture properly aligning and connecting the components(like a musical composition).
After these initial results, the team went back to the labto produce new silk materials. One of the new analytical tools that they employedin the development of superior silk was Music! Greatly simplifying thedetails... the various levels of the silk's structure (the proteins, theirrelationships, and underlying structures) were translated into musicalcompositions. The end result: the strong silk proteins that would not formusable threads produced music that was harsh and displeasing. The proteins thatformed usable fibers played as soft fluid pleasing music. The fact that theabove process (based on the silk proteins) resulted in anything even remotelyresembling music is remarkable; the fact that pleasing music was produced from"good" silk and harsh music resulted from "bad" silk isnear miraculous.
There is extensive evidence, growing for years, thatdemonstrates our inborn affinity for music. Infants seem to have innate musicalpreferences; at as early as two months babies will turn towards consonant orpleasing tones and away from dissonant sounds. Modern medical images of the brainshow pleasure centers light up while listening to an orchestra play beautiful symphonies.These are the same pleasure centers that respond to sex, eating chocolate andtaking cocaine. What is it about music that seems to be imprinted in our cells?
One of the researchers, Markus Buehler of MIT said,"There might be an underlying structural expression in music that tells usmore about the proteins that make up our bodies. After all, our organs -including the brain - are made from these building blocks, and humans'expression of music may inadvertently include more information than we areaware of." Music may soon tell usmuch more about our biology and reveal new insight into our humanity. Expandingon this, the processes that produced the biology, DNA and building-blockproteins may be encoded in a universal song.
In a separate, but strikingly similar experiment, Frenchphysicist Joel Sternheimer developed a system for converting the amino acidsequences in plant protein into music. Sternheimer found that the compositionsbased on these amino acid sequences produced aesthetically pleasing music. In fact, when the "song" made froma plant's amino acids was played back to the plant, its growth rate increasedmarkedly and its resistance to drought and disease also improved. Just as withthe proteins in the spider silk, music composed from the biologicalbuilding-blocks in plants was pleasing and produced positive feedback effectswhen played back to the plants.
There is also a huge body of evidence - built up over manyyears - showing that the specific frequencies making up the human voice areindicative of a person's health. Like a musical orchestra, our human speakingvoice consists of a large, measurable collection of sounds - a wide spectrum offrequencies. The leading authority on analyzing the tremendous amount ofinformation contained in the voice, Sharry Edwards, has learned to gleandetailed insight into the underlying health of a person from his voiceprint. Informationregarding the underlying emotional, physical, nutritional states, presence of pathogens,toxins, etc. can be detected by a trained expert of the voice. One of theconsequences of Edwards' work was the development of "Sound Treatments"that addressed underlying problems - detected in a voiceprint. By listening to theappropriate frequencies the voice is restored to a healthy profile and theassociated physical ailment is resolved.
Going far beyond the scope of the MIT spider silk work,modern Sound experts would claim that there are voluminous examples of musicreflected in the inanimate universe around us. A famous mathematical sequence -that is also found throughout nature is the Fibonacci pattern. The Fibonaccisequence is 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34 etc (the next number in the sequence is thesum of the two preceding numbers). Familiar examples of this pattern in natureinclude: the design of a nautilus seashell, petals in a flower and the humanbody. The Fibonacci sequence converts directly to common musical scale foundaround the world - throughout the ages. From Ancient China to modern times skywatchers have found musical elements in the stars and other celestial bodies.The movements of the stars and planets can be expressed as "Startones" a clear link between the Stars and musical systems, octaves andharmony. Throughout the ages there has been a consistent belief that there is adeep spiritual harmony in the design and flow of the universe. Music isliterally an expression of this harmony.
Sound and Music - could these be far more than we havethought them to be? Ancient Civilizations considered Music a mystical force andcarefully guarded its secrets. Modern experts believe Sound energy can interactwith and alter our subtle energies - opening up vast opportunities for healingand growth. The human voice contains voluminous information on the underlyingstate and wellness of the body. Musicalcompositions are grand "stories" employing numerous instruments,notes, pitches, rhythms, octaves and so on - producing a Holistic effect beyondthe sum of the parts. As my dog knows very well - what sounds right, feelsright. Music could be the universal language of nature - and deeper - mirrorthe grand plan that makes us and our surrounding world what we are.
MIT reference: MassachusettsInstitute of Technology (2012, November 28). Researchers synthesize new kind ofsilk fiber, and use music to fine-tune material's properties. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 11,2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2012/11/121128112157.htm
JillMattson is a three-time author and widely recognized expert and composer in theemerging field of Sound Healing! Jilllectures throughout the United States on “Ancient Sounds ~ Modern Healing” - taking followers on anexciting journey revealing the Healing Power of Vibratory Energy. She unveils secrets from ancient cultures aswell as the latest findings of the modern scientific community showing theincredible power and healing capabilities of sound.
Mattsoninfuses ancient mystical techniques - with profound potential for growth andenlightenment - in her original musical CD's. The CD's combine intricate Sound Healing techniques with intriguing,magical tracks that offer deep healing possibilities.
Pleasevisit her websites where you can learn more about her work. www.JillsWingsOfLight.com, www.JillsHealingMusic.com,www.MusicForBeauty.com
