3D images of galaxies will rock you (ft. Queen)

In a March 2026 story, Astronomer and Queen guitarist Brian May teamed up with astrophysicist Derek Ward-Thompson to bring the cosmos to 3D.

"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality. Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see."

There’s something about space that captures the imagination of scientists and artists alike. Just ask astrophysicist Derek Ward-Thompson and astronomer Brian May (yes, THAT Brian May, guitarist of Queen). In their book "Islands in Infinity: Galaxies 3-D," they turn flat images of the galaxies to three dimensional spacescapes that leap off the page.

In March, Host Flora Lichtman spoke with Ward-Thompson and May about the enchanting nature of space and the collision of art and astronomy. And yes, they get into the music.

Guests: 

Dr. Brian May is an astronomer and the guitarist of Queen.

Dr. Derek Ward-Thompson is an astrophysicist at the University of Lancashire in England.

Other episodes you may enjoy:

• Investigating ‘Flow State’ With The Bassist From Phish
• New Telescope Captures The Cosmos In Groundbreaking Detail

The transcript for this episode is available at sciencefriday.com.

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