Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Brian May, Rock Legend, Soon-To-Be Astrophysicist

Posted by Zonk on from the we-are-the-champions-my-friend dept.

xPsi writes "Brian May, the guitarist for the legendary rock band Queen (age 60), has finally decided to submit his Ph.D. thesis in astrophysics. The title is 'Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud.' From the article: 'May was studying astrophysics at Imperial College when he formed Queen with singer Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Taylor in 1970. He dropped his doctorate research into interstellar dust as the band met with increasing success.' And, hey, if this whole Rock-n-Roll thing doesn't pan out, at least he'll have something to fall back on."

22 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. At last! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    He may get to meet some chicks!

    1. Re:At last! by Chapter80 · · Score: 5, Funny

      His ultimate goal, though, is to get his buddy Elton to be a Rocket Man, and get David Bowie up into his tin can, high above the world.

  2. Studies by BWJones · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Rock on... \m/ \m/

    It is never too late for scholarly accomplishment and is encouraging to see folks go back to finish work begun many years prior or even to begin studies later than would be traditionally done. I'd like to think that if I can achieve a certain financial independence that I'd complete a second Ph.D. later in life in a field completely unrelated to the one I am working in now. Perhaps something cool like history...

    On top of that, perhaps Dr. May's degree will help focus a little positive attention on science given that many in politics these days seem to have made us scientists out to be the boogey man/woman.

    --
    Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
    1. Re:Studies by largesnike · · Score: 5, Funny

      \m/ \m/ is that the rear view of two swimmers about to dive into a pool?
      --
      "Laugh while you can a-monkey boy!" - Dr Emilio Lizardo
    2. Re:Studies by BWJones · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You must be an American.

      Well, that is one of the most ignorant things I've heard today... Am I misunderstanding the sentiment or just what is it that you are trying to say?

      I've never seen why people feel they need a "second" PhD.

      It is not about the piece of paper that says PhD. Rather, it is the level of accomplishment that the doctorate represents.

      So in fact what you really want to do is read for a BA (or BSc) in a new area - just do it at a good university (which unfortunately rules out most).

      Actually, well run doctorate programs provide not just the place for students to learn at, but other individuals/colleagues/mentors in that field of study who can challenge you and help direct your studies far beyond what is available to most undergraduate departments. The academic rigor of doctoral programs far surpasses the more casual familiarity with material and the expectations are much higher as well which is what many folks who love learning are after, particularly if the field of their interest is far away from their area of formal training.

      --
      Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
    3. Re:Studies by norton_I · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I think what he is saying, which you have either missed or ignored completely is that once you have a PhD you should be a (possibly junior) partner, not a student with a mentor. A PhD is a research degree, and the purpose is to train you to learn things that nobody knows. Once reach that level, the field matters less--as long as you have solid knowledge of the fundamentals (i.e., at a bachelors or masters level). Hence the car analogy.

    4. Re:Studies by PopeRatzo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You mean because I have a PhD in English I can qualify to work as a postdoc physicist in only 2 years?

      Look out, Stephen Hawking! I got my god particle hanging right here.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    5. Re:Studies by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I have a PhD in English

      You can't be American, as no yank should get anything in English until they can spell centre correctly

    6. Re:Studies by sayfawa · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm sorry, but that's just wrong. Maybe it was like that in times past, but not today. Even in the UK a PhD does include learning about specific things. Not only would my group never hire someone without a PhD specifically in physics (possibly physical chemistry), they wouldn't hire someone without experience specifically in laser cooling (which you won't get in any undergrad program). A person with a bachelor's degree in physics and a PhD in social work would be completely useless to us.

      --
      Free the Quark 3 from asymptotic confinement! Bring your charm! Don't get down! All colours and flavours welcome!
    7. Re:Studies by dr_dank · · Score: 4, Funny

      It's still messed up. Instead, I see a little silhouetto of a man.

      --
      Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
  3. He recently released a book as well. by attemptedgoalie · · Score: 5, Insightful


    http://www.banguniverse.com/

    How cool is it that after all of the concerts, the world tours, the money, that he completes a life project like this?

    How many people that attain the level that Queen rose to, would just spend their time spending the money?

    I think it's awesome that he's going to finish up.

    --
    My mom says I'm cool.
    1. Re:He recently released a book as well. by xenocide2 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Plus, whenever my advisor asks when my thesis draft will be ready, I'll have a nice standard to fall back to for guidance!

      --
      I Browse at +4 Flamebait

      Open Source Sysadmin

  4. Re:He can still think! by Tim_UWA · · Score: 5, Funny

    Are you kidding? How else can you get through a PhD in physics?

  5. Nothing really matters, Anyone can see ... by Average_Joe_Sixpack · · Score: 4, Funny

    Nothing really matters
    Nothing really matters to me

    Any way the stellar wind blows ...

  6. Buckaroo Banzai by Rick17JJ · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It sounds like he is a real life Buckaroo Banzai, like in the 1984 movie "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension." Buckaroo Banazi was a rock star, particle physicist, neurosurgeon, and race car driver. So, it really is possible to do all that! That was the movie where Earth was invaded by aliens flew around in space ships which looked like giant sea shells.

    Buckaroo Banzai

  7. He also built his own guitar ... from a fireplace by permaculture · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Brian May's a bit of a hacker. Most of his music was played on a guitar he built himself.

    For example: "The tremolo system is made from an old hardened-steel knife-edge shaped into a V and two motorbike valve springs to counter the string tension."
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Special

    --
    Environmentalism is the new Victorianism. Everyone ties on a green corset and pretends we're virtuous.
  8. Reminds me of Richard Feynman... by RyanFenton · · Score: 5, Informative

    Instead of a party animal and physicist who spent a lot of time drumming, here's a drummer who's taken advantage of the world around him, and is contributing to man's exploration of astrophysics. Very cool.

    Oh, and if you're ever interested in a superb read about a real life nerd superstar, check out "Surely, You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"

    Ryan Fenton

  9. I have a New Role Model . . . by simplerThanPossible · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...for late PhD submission.

  10. Re:He can still think! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Acid is pretty much the drug least likely to fry your brain...

    Anyway, the most common - and probably most destructive - drug used by musicians is...alcohol!

  11. 39 and Time Dilation by TomHandy · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Since no-one's mentioned it, the Brian May song for Queen, '39', is about time dilation, although in a subtle way. That is, he composed it about the idea of some space travelers leaving earth on a mission, taking a year in their time, but when they return to Earth, 100 years have passed.

    http://woodside.blogs.com/cosmologycuriosity/2006/ 05/queens_39_and_r.html

    http://cosmicvariance.com/2006/04/26/relatively-pl easant/

  12. Not interstellar... probably by davecl · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The zodiacal dust is actually dust in our own solar system - you can see it at dawn and dusk as the zodiacal light. However, one suggestion in Brian May's thesis is that there may be a component of the zodiacal dust that is interstellar. It's something that future observations he's proposing could test.

    It's interesting to note that very little has been done on the zodiacal light since he started his PhD work in the early 70s. However, the next generation of cosmic microwave background satellites like Planck will need improved knowledge of foreground dust so that its contaminating emission can be removed. This has added new interest and impetus to the kind of studies that Brian May is resurrecting.

  13. Brian May's current work by meringuoid · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Every British astro-geek knows who Patrick Moore is. Mad monocled xylophone-playing astronomer, who has presented the programme The Sky at Night since the days when we didn't even know what the other side of the Moon looked like. This show is an institution. Generations of astronomers grew up watching it. Every other science show on the BBC has dumbed down into nonsense - apocalypse of the week shows, mostly. The Sky at Night on the other hand is a proper old-fashioned science show.

    Patrick Moore is extremely old and sooner or later will permanently stop presenting the show. Brian May is appearing on the show more and more frequently as time goes by. Someone is needed who (a) knows astronomy and physics thoroughly enough to maintain standards, and who (b) can hold the attention of an audience. I spy a candidate...

    --
    Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.