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Muppets Named Top Scientists
praedictus writes "Apparently Bunsen and Beaker of Muppet fame have been nominated favorite TV scientist in a poll conducted by the British Association for the Advancement of Science (BA). and the BBC, soundly beating other contenders such as Mr. Spock, and Agent Scully."
Bill Nye the Science Guy or Mr. Wizard?
Oh, and it was an unscientific internet poll.
Why wasn't Quatermass on the short list? It's astounding to think that early TV SF horror shows were broadcast live.
Not a surprise really. Oxford University recently announced that Beaker will be delivering the inaugural lecture for this year's Department of Biochemistry Distinguished Lecture Series. Rumor has it he will address "Neuro-imaging and Neuropathological Studies of Mood Disorders in Primates." Although not widely known, Beaker's contributions to science have far outweighed his achievements in the field of entertainment.
"...all the labours of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness..." yada yada
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...they're not just for /. polls anymore!
What about Samantha Carter from Stargate?
The Swedish Chef had these words of congratulation:
"He-a's a greet mun, a guud freeend. Thees echeeefement feenelly recugneezes zee cuntreebooshuns he-a hes mede-a tu zee sceeence-a und zee betterment ooff hoomuneety. I shell beke-a a ceke-a in hees hunur! Bork Bork Bork!"
This may offend some but Scully is certainly not a scientist. Now, as for Bunsen and Beaker they may have been somewhat inept but scientists they were!!
It has to be Professor Farnsworth
In a forum of virgin nerds, you have to give the nod to Scully.
/^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
Marge : There's a man here who says he can help you.
Homer : Is it Batman?
Marge : He's a scientist.
Homer : Batman's a scientist.
Marge : It's not Batman!
His exact words for YOU, Mr. Anoymous Coward:
"Meep mee, me meep meep meemeemee meep!"
Dag, yo. You got served! You better apologize.
Mee mee meeeee me meeeeee mee meee meeeee. Meeee me meeee mee meeeee me.
e to the pi i plus one equals zero
I mean for gosh sakes, I never saw Scully make a battery out of a coconut!!
I can't believe slashdot would run a story with that title. "Bunsen, Beaker Named Top Scientists" would have been much more dignified. You would never see "Whites Named Top Scientists" or "Hispanic, Woman Named Top Scientists" would you? Please, Bunsen & Beaker are scientists first, muppets second.
Hmm, think I'll vote for Pons and Fleischmann.....
What is going on in the UK? I thought they were our allies. I mean, before I saw this article, I was a huge fan of Honeydew and Beaker. But after seeing this picture, it is obvious that Dr. Honeydew is a terrorist, and, furthermore, is violating Beaker's civil rights with the electrical cord from a washing machine. This kind of thing cannot be tolerated. What would Mr. Wizard say? And why is Kermit supporting this? If things keep going this way, I know that it is clear to us all that we will have to liberate the citizens of the United Kingdom from the terrorists and cults that are being imposed on them by their evil dictators.
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Truly one of the funniest things you will ever see.
Fictional characters can be a better role model for young people than real scientists and engineers. Perhaps a few children will think of becoming scientists because of these characters.
"Scotty" on Star Trek has just got his star on the sidewalk (covered by slashdot). Many student engineers at one US school said they were inspired to take engineering by Scotty. (I can't find the link.)
How about: Wile E. Coyote Super Genius ?
wbs.
Huh?
It's been a long time since I've seen the Muppet Show, but I too was very much a fan of Muppet Labs, where the Future is Being Made Today, with Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his faithful assistant Beaker. Doctor Honeydew looked remarkably like a science teacher I had in high school. Liked to sprinkle nitrogen triiodide around the school at Hallowe'en. Bang!
Curiously, when I think of fictional (television or otherwise) women scientists, the two that come to mind (Professor Sam Ryan and Dr. Kay Scarpetta) are both forensic pathologists. Hmmm...
...laura
They seem pretty popular - I am watching a back to back CSI labour day marathon on Spike.
I heard enrollment in forensics college courses is way up on account of that program.
My rights don't need management.
...a few years ago, I was visiting a local videostore, suddenly feeling the need to see Peter Sellers again in his wonderful appearance of the mad german scientist.
:)
I asked the clerk if he could provide me with the movie "Dr.Strangelove".
Immediately, the man points to the back of the store : the x-rated section...
I guess most people seeing the vote were disgusted when they saw this name in the contest
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That muppet like show "Dinosaurs" was hilarious, they had a Mr. Wizard clone called "Mr. Lizard" IIRC. He was always wasting his kid assistants with bad science going even worse--> BOOM! "Oh well, guess we need ~another~ Billy!"
You'll notice Beaker and Honeydew were the only traditional scientists on the list. Mr. Spock, the doctor, and Dana are more explorers than scientists, Q is an engineer, Frank 'n Furter, Mr Evil, and Dr Frankenstein are, well, mad. Dr Strangelove is a consultant. Even Emmett Brown is portreyed as more mad than scientist.
Why not include more traditional scientists on the list, such as Bill Nye, Mr. Wizard, or popular untraditional ones like Peter Venkmin or the Answer Guys?
The ______ Agenda
"Buddha! Zeus! God! one of you guys do something! . . . Help! Satan! You owe me!!!"
"I still don't understand why you wouldn't let me craft a laser cannon onto your chest, to crush those who disobey you..."
"Sure, everyone's always in favor of saving Hitler's brain, but put it in the body of a great white shark... oooooh, suddenly you've gone too far!"
Apparently things got really tough after the show was axed. Desperate to pay off the civil suit brought against him by Beaker, he went to Iraq and worked on Saddam's REALLY Big Rubber Hammer project. He was later killed in Belgium in what was believed to be a Mossad hit.