One of the curious features of Taylor Swift’s work is that she regularly uses words borrowed from astronomy and cosmology. “Taylor Swift’s discography frequently incorporates astrophysics terminology,” point out Sophie Newman and Ana Sainz de Murieta at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth in the U.K.
That reflects the role that science and technology play in shaping cultural phenomena. But for Swifties, it also raises the question of which areas of astrophysics most influence Swift’s work. And for scientists, the possibility of whether this process of cultural osmosis could work in reverse to influence cosmological discoveries. “Could Taylor Swift’s thirteenth album hold the secret to the universe’s ultimate destiny?” asks Jane Bright at the Department of Physics at Grinnell College in Iowa.
Cosmic Chorus
Thanks to the work of Newman and Sainz de Murieta in one paper and of Bright in another, we now have answers suitable for the traditional early April publishing season.
