Briefs

ABC News (09/15/05); Malone, Michael S.

Scientist and entrepreneur Stephen Wolfram postulates that incredibly complex structures can be randomly generated from very simple items and equally simple rules when they are run innumerable times on a computer. This theory, based on the field of cellular automata, underlies what Wolfram identified as a previously hidden order to the universe in his book, "A New Kind of Science." Although his theory has caused barely a ripple in the scientific world, Wolfram has applied it to a random music generator, WolframTones. A person accesses the WolframTones Web page, and chooses a style of music. The user can also adjust the music's pitch, the instrument selection, and the time signature. The computer then automatically generates musical notes using a small number of simple rules, which work in conjunction with segments of mosaic pyramids Wolfram created by cellular automata. The resulting tunes are random yet structured at the same time. Wolfram hopes WolframTones will fuel interest in his theory.

Hear the WolframTones at http://tones.wolfram.com/generate/

Here is the rest of the story from ABC News.