The Music of the Spheres.

The integration of music and science is embodied in the music of the spheres, the ancient concept that the universe is ordered in a manner consistent with principles of musical harmony. This idea boasts a long history, from the teachings of Pythagoras (ca. 600 BC) through Isaac Newton in the eighteenth century, and makes a fascinating interdisciplinary topic accessible to middle and high school students. Several music-science correlations are explored, including the mathematical commonalities between musical intervals and planetary orbits. The article includes teaching suggestions and student activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]