Cosmic Sound Sculptures

Two brothers, one a sculptor (Prof. Ivan Bon) and the other an astrophysicist (Dr. Edi Bon), have joined forces for a distinctive art and science collaboration.

Together, we delve into the mysteries of the expanding universe, focusing on relics of microwave background radiation (MBR) through which the echoes of the first acoustic waves in the universe propagated as density acoustic waves of the primordial plasma. These concepts come to life through sound sculptures, shaped like horn antennas, which receive electromagnetic radiation from MBR and emit sound that the audience can experience firsthand, allowing them to listen to the relic radiation, older than 13.7 billion years, originating from the peculiar epoch of the early expanding universe right after the Big Bang when it became transparent.

We've crafted interactive sound sculptures resembling horn shapes, which function as horn antennas receiving MBR signals. Through a radio receiver, we capture the MBR signal and transform it to sound, which is emitted through sculptures, and with their shapes (resonator and horn shaped acoustic amplifier) acoustically modify the noise of the early universe. These resonating waves in the sculptures are used as an analogy to the first acoustic waves in the universe, which resonated through the primordial plasma, while the universe was still opaque. These acoustic waves resonated through the universe at nearly half the speed of light, until the temperature dropped to about 3000K due to universe expansion, and from that moment on, we receive the radiation that we hear through these sculptures.

By listening to the sound waves emitted by these sculptures, audiences can immerse themselves in a pivotal moment in the history of the universe—approximately 380,000 years after the Big Bang—when the universe became transparent. The colossal density acoustic waves frozen in that moment still influence the large-scale structures of galaxies observed today.

The sound of MBR resonating through these sculptures serves as an analogy to the density acoustic waves that propagated through the primordial plasma of the early universe. Our project serves as a conduit for communicating these complex concepts, leveraging the immersive experience of sound sculptures to engage and educate audiences about the cosmic symphony that pervades our universe.

Originally constructed for the call of art and science residence program of Ars Electronica and European Southern Observatory (ESO) over a decade ago, our project was exhibited at the Gallery of Dom Omladine in Belgrade. The exhibition included a series of lectures explaining these astrophysical concepts, which were seamlessly integrated into the overall experience. These sculptures have since become a permanent exhibition at the Gallery of the Institute of Physics in Belgrade.

Over the years, the significance of our project has been underscored by recent discoveries made possible by the James Webb Space Telescope. These breakthroughs have pushed the boundaries of our understanding, enabling the detection of quasars at unprecedented distances, even at red shifts above 10. Remarkably, these observations reveal the presence of supermassive black holes with masses exceeding 4e7 solar masses when the universe was less than 400 million years old.

Theoretical models suggest that conventional mechanisms would be inadequate for forming such massive black holes in such a short time frame. Consequently, the emergence of these early supermassive black holes raises intriguing questions about their origins. One compelling hypothesis is that the enormous pressure exerted by density fluctuations from baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) in the early universe plasma played a key role. In this context, the first sound waves in the universe may have acted as seeds for the formation of supermassive black holes, shaping the evolution of galaxies and, ultimately, the universe itself.

Recent surveys mapping galaxy distances provide further evidence of the influence of these density fluctuations. Large-scale structures, such as filament structures composed of galaxies, are believed to be relics of the density acoustic waves present in the early primordial plasma. These findings not only deepen our understanding of cosmic evolution but also highlight the pivotal role played by sound waves in shaping the universe as we know it.

In light of these cutting-edge discoveries, we believe our project can once again serve as a compelling communication tool for these intricate scientific concepts.

The video of the exhibition