Former Queen Band Member -- PhD in Astrophysics

[Elessar]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19964119/

Hah!

[CX]

*grumbles*

Rocker from Queen turns into astrophysicist
Guitarist Brian May finishing up doctoral thesis on zodiacal dust cloud

Updated: 9:07 p.m. CT July 25, 2007
Brian May is completing his doctorate in astrophysics, more than 30 years after he abandoned his studies to form the rock group Queen.

The 60-year-old guitarist and songwriter said he plans to submit his thesis, “Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud,” to supervisors at Imperial College London within the next two weeks.

May was an astrophysics student at Imperial College when Queen, which included Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor, was formed in 1970. He dropped his doctorate as the glam rock band became successful.

Queen were one of Britain’s biggest music groups in the 1970s, with hits including “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “We Will Rock You.”

After Mercury’s death in 1991, May recorded several solo albums, including 1998’s “Another World.” But his interest in astronomy continued, and he co-wrote “Bang! The Complete History of the Universe,” which was published last year.

He was due to finish carrying out astronomical observations at an observatory on the island of La Palma, in Spain’s Canary Islands, on Tuesday, the observatory said.

May told the British Broadcasting Corp. that he had always wanted to complete his degree.

“It was unfinished business,” he said. “I didn’t want an honorary Ph.D. I wanted the real thing that I worked for.”

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[JadziaKathryn]

Why the grumble, CX? I say, good for him!

[CX]

Because I had to quote the article. I guess when I was a newbie I learned that if you start a thread about a news story or something that you should quote the article as well as linking back to it, so it's one of those things that just annoys me now.

[justTripn]

Yet another instance of a multi-talented, creative smart person--like so many here.

[Elessar]

Because I had to quote the article. I guess when I was a newbie I learned that if you start a thread about a news story or something that you should quote the article as well as linking back to it, so it's one of those things that just annoys me now.

OooOoooOoo ok yeah that's probably a good point. I hadn't thought of that.

[evcake]

I guess it's never too late, especially if you've got the $ and the smarts, huh?