Matt Russo

Astrophysicist, musician

Matt Russo is an astrophysicist and musician who translates the rhythm and harmony of the cosmos into music and sound.

Why you should listen

Matt Russo co-founded the art-science project SYSTEM Sounds and works to make astronomy more accessible to the visually impaired. His work has been featured in the New York Times, and he will lead an orchestra in an upcoming BBC documentary on the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system. He is currently a professor at Seneca College in Toronto, Canada, where he teaches a course on the deep connections between music and astronomy.

Matt Russo’s TED Talks

Matt Russo
Our Musical Universe
16 minutes 59 seconds
Science tells us that outer space, contrary to popular depictions, is a vast, silent place. However, Matt Russo, who holds degrees in Jazz Guitar and Astrophysics from the University of Toronto, begs to differ. Watch as Matt takes us on a musical journey through the Trappist-1 system and beyond, showing how the universe is full of music that we just need to learn how to hear.
Posted Jul 2018
Matt Russo
What does the universe sound like? A musical tour
16 minutes 43 seconds
Is outer space really the silent and lifeless place it's often depicted to be? Perhaps not. Astrophysicist and musician Matt Russo takes us on a journey through the cosmos, revealing the hidden rhythms and harmonies of planetary orbits. The universe is full of music, he says -- we just need to learn how to hear it.
Posted Oct 2018