Queen’s Brian May receives RCGS medal in Toronto
The rock legend, space scientist and author honoured for outstanding contributions to cultural and physical geography
“We are also honouring Dr. May for his work as an astrophysicist,” says Geiger, “and more particularly as someone who has used his enormous celebrity to promote greater public understanding of a field that can appear to many as dense as a black hole, but which represents so much of the hope for humanity, as well as the potential for discovery that lies ahead.”
What a wonderful quote.
aristide1 · Member since
Since you (as well as Dr. May) are a man of convenience not of conscience, it's hard for you to detect an irrelevant prize for an irrelevant scientific contribution.
The recipient describes himself as a "visionary" who "eased things towards an integrated view of all the species on earth".
Really? Because I see only a famous, rich and shameless guitar player.
The Real Wizard · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]aristide1 wrote:[/b]
Since you (as well as Dr. May) are a man of convenience not of conscience, it's hard for you to detect an irrelevant prize for an irrelevant scientific contribution.
The recipient describes himself as a "visionary" who "eased things towards an integrated view of all the species on earth".
Really? Because I see only a famous, rich and shameless guitar player.[/QUOTE]
You're in an extreme minority in your bitterness.
May is one of the most accomplished, gracious, and humble people on the planet. Ask literally any of his peers. Keyboard warriors like yourself are that and only that.
Wilki Amieva · Member since
Science is also about popularisation of scientific knowledge. People like Carl Sagan, Stephen Jay Gould, Neil deGrasse Tyson, etc. not only serve as proxies for people to know more about the Universe, but they also inspire new generations of scientists. But you don't have to be an active researcher to contribute to science. Brian May's books are pretty good divulgation works, and they hint to a few very important subjects beyond astronomy, astrophysics and stereophotography. As a scientist myself, I applaud Brian's efforts in using art to bring science to the front and vice-versa. He has very interesting views on marrying art and science: http://youtu.be/fri2Da185k4
Sheer Brass Neck · Member since
Hate to be negative online since this place can be a cesspool but aristide1, are you an imbecile? I know that you seldom having a sensible comment on this site, but not sure if you're an utter twat or a troll.
Saying shit like "Since you (as well as Dr. May) are a man of convenience not of conscience, it's hard for you to detect an irrelevant prize for an irrelevant scientific contribution.
The recipient describes himself as a "visionary" who "eased things towards an integrated view of all the species on earth".
Really? Because I see only a famous, rich and shameless guitar player."
Because if that's all you see in Brian May, you are a fucking imbecile.
stevelondon20 · Member since
^ Couldn't agree more.
aristide1 · Member since
I literally SEE this in the video above, what I THINK about this "accomplished" man is far worse.
Brian decided that musical fame and fortune are not enough for him and that he must also cash the long overdue 'man of science' check, with interest if possible.
Instead of a yacht or a Vermeeer he bought a doctoral degree. Why am I an imbecile because I'm not overwhelmed by this "gracious and humble" guy?
"...I have some kind of vision in mind that I'm proud to share with young people..." Seriously?
Holly2003 · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]aristide1 wrote:[/b]
I literally SEE this in the video above, what I THINK about this "accomplished" man is far worse.
Brian decided that musical fame and fortune are not enough for him and that he must also cash the long overdue
bucsateflon · Member since
You have to be really naive to believe Brian went thru all the procedures and difficulties of obtaining his Phd as any young and unknown pleb. My doubts stop here.
aristide1 · Member since
I don't know what proof do you want, as long as you refuse to see any connection between the doctoral degree and the donation to the university. Just an act of random generosity, right?
No student who abandoned the scientific career can pop up 40 years later and finish doctoral studies.
However, as a celebrity with some interest in science and human welfare, Brian May was perfectly fit for a honorary degree.
The fact that he declined this common sense option and insisted to obtain an undeserved full doctoral degree in astrophysics, pretending that he actually struggled to finish the paper by going to the library and visiting an observatory, is extremely disappointing. Arrogance, not humility.
Saint Jiub · Member since
There may have been some white privilege at work, but the thesis stands on it own two feet.
Per Phys.org ...
While some readers may expect a rock-and-roll guitarist to write a popular astronomy book, A Survey of Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud is a rigorous, academic examination of the Zodiacal Light. May's thesis documents the building of a pressure-scanned Fabry-Perot Spectrometer, equipped with a photomultiplier and pulse-counting electronics, and its deployment at the Observatorio del Teide at Izaña in Tenerife, at an altitude of 7,700 feet (2,567 m), to record highresolution spectra of the Zodiacal Light. More than 250 scans of morning and evening Zodiacal Light were recorded, in two observing periods in 1971 and 1972.
Per the Telegraph link ...
The 48,000-word tome, Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud, which sounds suspiciously like a Spinal Tap LP, was stored in the loft of his home in Surrey. The 60-year-old guitar pioneer dedicated nine months to further research at Imperial College in London, the university where he originally studied in his late twenties. He also carried out observational work in La Palma, Tenerife.
I don't know what proof do you want, as long as you refuse to see any connection between the doctoral degree and the donation to the university. Just an act of random generosity, right?
[/QUOTE]
What donation? Please provide a link.
The Real Wizard · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]aristide1 wrote:[/b]
I don't know what proof do you want, as long as you refuse to see any connection between the doctoral degree and the donation to the university. Just an act of random generosity, right?
No student who abandoned the scientific career can pop up 40 years later and finish doctoral studies.
However, as a celebrity with some interest in science and human welfare, Brian May was perfectly fit for a honorary degree.
The fact that he declined this common sense option and insisted to obtain an undeserved full doctoral degree in astrophysics, pretending that he actually struggled to finish the paper by going to the library and visiting an observatory, is extremely disappointing. Arrogance, not humility.[/QUOTE]
Ahh, so you're touting a conspiracy theory now that you can't provide any evidence.
As a wise man once said - better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.
I pity you for being so full of anger and hate.
Wilki Amieva · Member since
I've read May's thesis and it's really awesome. Not only he fulfilled what he set for, but he went far beyond. He was lucky in the subject, as not too much had passed in the field over it between the time he abandoned the thesis and when he resumed it. And by the way, it's not so uncommon for a Ph.D. or a M.Sc. thesis to be abandoned and resumed decades later with success.
