When life gives you Coronavirus, turn its DNA into music and sell it as an NFT collection

ViroMusic has created an NFT collection of 10,000 songs using the genetic code of the Coronavirus and it is up for grabs – you read that right.

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The songs are created using a process called DNA Sonification, the same process MIT researchers used last year to study the structure of the virus.

First, the team wrote software to comb through the viral sequence to identify sections that sound musical. The algorithm then turns each letter of RNA – essentially the instructions manual your body uses to build the huge cellular Lego that is you – into a musical note, comprising a melody.

The melody you hear is thus the step-by-step instructions the Coronavirus uses to make more copies of itself. Every NFT is unique and based on different parts of the viral code and/or note mappings.

As a final touch, human-played instruments (including drums by Chuck Sabo, who recorded on Elton John’s albums) were added on top as accompaniment. According to ViroMusic’s website, where those songs can be previewed, there are five song styles in the collection ranging from slow, melodic songs to energetic rock.

If you’re feeling skeptical about this, here’s what ViroMusic has to say: “The idea for this collection was born from an awe of the beauty in the code of life. We hope this project helps to raise awareness that even a virus capable of inflicting such misery is fundamentally based on the same code as every living thing on earth.”

“We thought it would be interesting to take this code and make it play music. We hope you find it as haunting, interesting and provocative as we do.”

The NFT audio collection is up for sale on Rarible.com

Learn more at viromusic.io