Fiorella Terenzi

Fiorella Terenzi

Fiorella Terenzi is an Italian astrophysicist, author and recording artist who is best known for taking recordings of radio waves from galaxies and turning them into music. She received her doctorate from the University of Milan but is currently based in the United States.

Described by Time Magazine as "a cross between Carl Sagan and Madonna", Dr. Fiorella Terenzi has studied opera and composition at Conservatory G. Verdi, Corsi Popolari Serali and taught mathematics and physics at Liceo Scientifico, Milan. In research at the Computer Audio Research Laboratory, University of California, San Diego, she pioneered techniques to convert radio waves from galaxies into sound - released by Island Records on her acclaimed CD Music from the Galaxies. The goal of her audiofication/sonification of celestial data is to investigate how sound could reflect chemical, dynamical and physical properties of celestial objects, what she calls "Acoustic Astronomy".