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maverick_starstrider
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Sorry! said:
Is biomedical science hard to get into?
Unexpected Scientists: Famous People with Science Backgrounds
- Thread starter Niles
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Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around notable individuals from various fields who have unexpected backgrounds in science, particularly physics and engineering. Participants share names and degrees, exploring the surprising nature of these discoveries.
Discussion Character
- Exploratory
- Debate/contested
Main Points Raised
- Rowan Atkinson has an M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering.
- Angela Merkel holds a Ph.D. in physical chemistry.
- Brian Kernighan has a B.Sc. in engineering physics, which some participants found surprising.
- Tim Berners-Lee has a B.Sc. in physics, with some participants expressing surprise at his background.
- Brian May, lead guitarist of Queen, is also an astrophysicist.
- Sarah Palin has a B.S. degree, which led to humorous interpretations of what "B.S." could stand for.
- Many writers from the show Futurama hold Ph.D.s in various fields of math and science.
- Philip Rosedale, founder of Second Life, was a physics major.
- Maggie Thatcher had a B.Sc. in chemistry and referenced her scientific knowledge in a political context.
- Danica McKellar is noted as a published mathematician.
- Lizzy Hawker has a Ph.D. in environmental science, while Greg Graffin has a Ph.D. in biology and teaches at UCLA.
- Osama bin Laden is mentioned as possibly having a degree in civil engineering, with some participants making jokes about this background.
- Isaac Asimov had a Ph.D. in biochemistry, and Alfred Hitchcock attended engineering school.
- Ashton Kutcher studied biomedical engineering before leaving for modeling.
- President Garfield had an original proof of the Pythagorean theorem.
- Ed Witten holds a BA in history, which some participants found unexpected.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express a mix of surprise and humor regarding the scientific backgrounds of various public figures. There is no consensus on the surprising nature of these backgrounds, as opinions vary widely.
Contextual Notes
Some claims about individuals' degrees are based on external links, and the accuracy of these claims may depend on the sources cited. The discussion includes humor and speculation, particularly regarding interpretations of degrees and the relevance of scientific backgrounds to public personas.
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