The Portal 36: Dark Matter, Black Matters and All That Jazz
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Jun 11, 2020 Stephon Alexander, a theoretical physicist at Brown University and president of the National Society of Black Physicists, engages in a thought-provoking dialogue mixing science and jazz. He shares insights on the cultural significance of blues music and its improvisational nature. The conversation dives into race, friendship, and the challenges of diversity in academia. They explore the mysteries of dark matter, the complexities of particle physics, and advocate for a reevaluation of recognition in science, all while celebrating the harmony between art and science.
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Playing the Vortex
- Stephon Alexander details his first encounter with Ornette Coleman, where they discussed vortices in physics and music.
- Coleman's open-mindedness and genuine interest in Alexander's work left a lasting impression.
A Musical Gift from Ornette
- Ornette Coleman gifted Stephon Alexander a musical sequence to play through any chord change.
- Alexander considers this a pivotal moment in his saxophone journey.
The State of Theoretical Physics
- Theoretical physics grapples with fundamental questions like the nature of reality and the universe's origins.
- Recent Large Hadron Collider results confirmed the Standard Model, but further exploration is needed.
