Listen to the Raw Data of Japan’s Earthquake

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It’s not quite the sound of Japan’s earthquake, but audio programmer Micah Frank has used the raw data from the seismic activity to create a frightening aural interpretation. The streaming audio can be heard at Frank’s website.

Frank’s “Tectonic” program gathers raw data in real time from the U.S. Geological Survey, including magnitude, elevation, time of day and geographical coordinates. This data runs through an audio programming tool called Max/MSP, using granular, aggregate and subtractive synthesis to create sound.

The 8.8-magnitude earthquake occurred off the northeastern coast of Japan on Friday, causing tsunamis, fires and blackouts.

(via BoingBoing)