Music by the Large Hadron Collider?

In the next few months, physicists at the Large Hadron Collider at the CERN particle physics research center are going to be making some beautiful music. At least, they hope so.

Using a high-tech sonification technique, the researchers will be transforming pure data gathered by the LHC into sound. The resulting "symphonies" will be posted on the project's website for now, but mobile phone apps and ringtones are in the works.

The data-into-music project isn't just a matter of "because we can." Researchers hope the symphonies will further spread the word about--and improve the image of--the LHC as a fascinating scientific project--and not something that might obliterate humanity at any moment.