The Guild of Scientific Troubadours

The Guild of Scientific Troubadours

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Scientific illustration of Abraham Lincoln's face compared to a sampling of "Old American" family members.

Science Art: Lincoln’s Measurements, compared with “Old Americans,” 1953 (detail).

24 March 2025 grant 0

This is part of a graphic from a 1953 issue of Natural History, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History’s magazine. The article it’s illustrating is about taking a life mask… Read the rest “Science Art: Lincoln’s Measurements, compared with “Old Americans,” 1953 (detail).”

Scientific illusttration in black and white of an ancient Swedish labyrinth, looking a little like a drawing of a brain.

Science Art: Trojeborg, a stone labyrinth from Visby, 1919

8 July 2024 grant 0

This is an illustration from Nordisk Familjebok, a Norwegian encyclopedia from the turn of the last century. The labyrinth, naturally, is much older. It’s of a sort that can be laid… Read the rest “Science Art: Trojeborg, a stone labyrinth from Visby, 1919”

SONG: Migration Roads

23 June 2024 grant 0

SONG: “Migration Roads”. (available as .ogg here)

ARTIST: grant.

SOURCE: Based on LiveScience, 3 May 2024, “1st Americans came over in 4 different waves from Siberia,… Read the rest “SONG: Migration Roads”

Scientific illustration of a "disk of Heaven" or bi.

Science Art: Ancient Ritual White Jade Disk of Heaven…, 1937

17 December 2023 grant 0

This is an illustration from a 1937 edition of Natural History magazine, an article called “Chinese Design.” This is a “Disk of Heaven,” or bi, a slightly mysterious… Read the rest “Science Art: Ancient Ritual White Jade Disk of Heaven…, 1937”

Exercise scientists: women hunted, men gathered

14 November 2023 grant 0

Scientific American upends the old idea that manly men evolved to hunt for meat for growing prehistoric families with physiological evidence that women – who are better endurance… Read the rest “Exercise scientists: women hunted, men gathered”

SONG: The Scientist (a penitential Coldplay cover)

22 July 2023 grant 0

SONG: “The Scientist (a penitential cover)”. (available as .ogg here)

ARTIST: grant.

SOURCE: This isn’t based on research It’s a cover of this vaguely scientific… Read the rest “SONG: The Scientist (a penitential Coldplay cover)”

Women hunted, back in the hunter-gatherer days.

2 July 2023 grant 0

PhysOrg has a study that defies the conventional idea of “man the hunter, woman the gatherer” with evidence that, in more than three-quarters of contemporary hunter-gatherer… Read the rest “Women hunted, back in the hunter-gatherer days.”

SONG: Content Feeds

24 June 2023 grant 0

SONG: “Content Feeds”.

ARTIST: grant.

SOURCE: The Markup, 1 May 2023, “The Very Hungry Algorithm: Bedtime with ChatGPT,” as used in the post “How do you feel … Read the rest “SONG: Content Feeds”

How do you feel when the AI starts reading your young children their bedtime stories?

12 June 2023 grant 0

As The Markup points out, this is no longer a hypothetical question, but an actual parenting challenge now:

I made a note to ask his teacher the following week, and imagine my surprise when

… Read the rest “How do you feel when the AI starts reading your young children their bedtime stories?”
Scientific illustration of Chinese fisherman on two sampans, balancing on a plank between the traditional watercraft.

Science Art: Causerie sur la Peche Fluviale en Chine, 1909.

15 May 2023 grant 0

Do two sampans make a catamaran? Looks like they did for this Chinese fisherman at the dawn of the last century, angling on the river near Shanghai.

This image came from Pol Korrigan, but I … Read the rest “Science Art: Causerie sur la Peche Fluviale en Chine, 1909.”

SONG: The Elephant

24 March 2023 grant 0

SONG: “The Elephant”.

ARTIST: grant.

SOURCE: BBC 28 Feb 2023, “Kerala: India temple replaces elephant with robot for rituals,” as used in the post “Kerala temple… Read the rest “SONG: The Elephant”

Kerala temple introduces a robot ritual elephant.

1 March 2023 grant 0

BBC reports on a mechanical elephant that is replacing a flesh-and-blood elephant that previously conducted rituals in a temple in Kerala, India:

The initiative by authorities at Irinjadappilly

… Read the rest “Kerala temple introduces a robot ritual elephant.”

Science Art: Papillons, from Larousse Universe, 1922

1 January 2023 grant 0

Thanks to an unexpected gift from an old friend, I was just reading an article in the print edition of Scientific American about the Sora people of eastern India, who have a unique culture … Read the rest “Science Art: Papillons, from Larousse Universe, 1922”

Magic mirror brings the Buddha’s enlightenment… when the light hits it just right.

19 July 2022 grant 0

CNN reports on an unexpected discovery in the Cincinnati Art Museum’s East Asian collection, where an unremarkable-looking bronze mirror was just revealed to reflect a hidden … Read the rest “Magic mirror brings the Buddha’s enlightenment… when the light hits it just right.”

SONG: Lost Aromas (A Rose)

24 March 2022 grant 0

SONG: “Lost Aromas (A Rose)”.

ARTIST: grant.

SOURCE: Discover 25 Jan 2022, “Smells Are Going Extinct, So Researchers Are Working to Preserve Them,” as used … Read the rest “SONG: Lost Aromas (A Rose)”

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Honorary Troubadours
  • Jonathan Coulton, Contributing Troubadour for Popular Science.
  • Laura Veirs, who knows her way around a polysyllable.
  • Thomas Dolby, godfather of scientific pop.
  • Squeaky, fact-based rock about fusion containment & rocket science.
  • Cosmos II, a.k.a. Boston University astronomer Alan Marscher.
  • Dr. Fiorella Terenzi, astrophysicist who makes music from cosmic radio sources.
  • Dr. Jim Webb, astronomy professor and acoustic guitarist.
  • Artichoke, the band behind 26 Scientists, Vols. I and II.
  • They Might Be Giants, unrelenting proponents of scientific popular song.
  • Symphonies of Science, the people who make Carl Sagan and others sing.
  • Giant Squid, doom metal about the sublime horrors of marine biology.
  • Gethan Dick,6 scientists, 6 musicians, 1 great album
Related Projects
  • Squid Pro Crow
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  • Penitential Originals Playlist
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