The Geometry of Music

When you first hear them, a Gregorian chant, a Debussy prelude and a John Coltrane improvisation might seem to have almost nothing in common–except that they all include chord progressions and something you could plausibly call a melody. But music theorists have long known that there’s something else that ties these disparate musical forms together.

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Sinopec reports sharp rise in profits

Chinese oil refiner Sinopec has announced its net profit in the first half of 2009 jumped fourfold from a year earlier, fueled by changes in state price controls for fuel, China state media reported. The 18-year-old was crowned by another Venezuelan, Dayana Mendoza, Miss Universe 2008, marking the first time that two contestants from the same country have won the title in consecutive years. As Miss Universe, Fernandez will have the use of a New York City apartment for the year of her reign, and will receive living expenses.

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Telescopes to show universe soon after Big Bang

It may not be possible to travel back in time, but seeing stars and galaxies as they looked millions or even billions of years ago is no problem thanks to telescopes, the closest thing we have to time machines. (CNN) — It may not be possible to travel back in time, but seeing stars and galaxies as they looked millions or even billions of years ago is no problem thanks to telescopes, the closest thing we have to time machines.

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At least 20 killed in Iraq blast

At least 20 people were killed and 30 wounded in a double suicide bombing Thursday in northern Iraq, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said. Two suicide bombers with explosive vests carried out the attack at a cafe in Sinjar, a town west of Mosul.

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Moon or Mars? ‘Next giant leap’ sparks debate

Blasting off from Earth and hurtling through space at thousands of miles an hour, it takes astronauts three days to reach the moon — a tiny distance in a universe measured in light years, but a fantastic voyage on a human scale. Now plans are under way to go back, even as the future of U.S. human space exploration is under close scrutiny and pressure is growing on NASA to aim for another alien world.

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Did Bruno Get Twittered?

In the old days — like, until yesterday — movie studios judged the success of their big pictures by how much they grossed on the opening weekend. But in the age of Twitter, electronic word-of-mouth is immediate, as early moviegoers tweet their opinions on a film to millions of “followers.” Instant messaging can make or break a film within 24 hours.

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