Music

Because not everything is science

Music has always been a huge part of my life. I studied clarinet and singing at the conservatory for about 14 years. While I’ve got a soft spot for classical music, my playlists bounce from jazz to death metal. And of course, being a geologist, what I listen to the most is rock! Whether it’s figuring out ancient tectonics or jamming to some good ol’ rock, it’s all about finding that rhythm!

I present here some of my music-science projects, loads of fun and skipping editorial comments…

Acknowledgements

Rock stars want to live forever (right, Gallaghers?), and we all wish our favorite ones could stay with us as long as possible. As a geologist, I’ve learned how to understand life that’s no longer here through fossils. So, I decided to “fossilize” my favorite rock stars, some of them who have recently passed, by honoring them in the acknowledgements of my papers. Here they are.

1. The Beatles

I’ve honored The Fab Four on two occasions: once on the 50th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and again on the 50th anniversary of their breakup.

• Sgt. Pepper’s

  

• The Let it Be paper

  

  

  

  

  

2. Dylan’s Nobel

I celebrated more that Dylan got a Nobel than Dylan himself. That was not difficult, of course.

3. Tom Petty’s goodbye

For a minute I thought that the editorial stuff of AGU did not want me to have the magnificent Petty in the paper.

Quickly I replied, I need him there, pu-ree-su!

And I got the best possible answer ever. Who knows, knows.

4. Bowie’s see you soon

5. Bye Bye to Eddie van Halen

6. Cornell in our hearts

6. Watts drumroll forever