Fall - and return - from grace

A long time ago, in a laboratory not far from here, a scientist sat in his lab pondering his latest results. This scientist inhabited the mysterious realm of “celebrity” – held in high regard for his magical discoveries. Fast forward to the present day and celebrity status is reserved for sportsmen, supermodels and singers ­– why did scientists fall from grace?

Scientists of the 19^th Century – Michael Faraday, Charles Darwin, Alfred Russell Wallace – were what we in the modern day call “celebrities”; someone to look up to, someone to inspire. In the middle of the 20^th Century, scientists still held a lofty position; their pioneering work in computing, physics and space meant hard-earned praise was gratefully received.

Very few scientists in this day and age are considered worthy – in comparison to the likes of David Beckham, Kate Moss and Katy Perry – to hold the same status. The likes of Stephen Hawking, Brian Cox and Mark Miodownik have punctured the celebrity bubble, but most scientists are just fighting to get the recognition they deserve.

But why are those able to kick a football, sing and act (poorly in some cases) considered a role model, yet a scientist working to cure cancer, for example, is not?

Science is by its very nature hard; it’s inquisitive, it involves time and patience, and it can take a while to wrap your head around some of the more intricate and complex ideas. Reality TV has opened up a world of glitz and glamour that is more appealing than a life of hard work, repetition and sterile laboratories. Why would anyone want to put hard work into forging a career in science when they could have an easier ride as a talent show reject – talented or not?

Or maybe science has simply lost its cool; when I was at school if you were into science you were considered a nerd or geek. However, the eye-assaulting fluorescent t-shirts emblazoned with NERD and GEEK can’t have escaped your notice – maybe we’re at the beginning of a resurgence in science being cool.

Writing in EE Times, Bill Schweber suggests another alternative – scientists have just become too good at what they do:

“The cause is simple: scientists and engineers unintentionally did it to themselves…when you do too good a job, and make it look so easy, the audience's sense of appreciation soon fades away and, in fact, it takes a cruel turn. They not only expect such incredible advancements day after day, they become jaded and demand it. They think it's just normal and natural that these things happen, like breathing, with no sense of the sweat, toil, and countless disciplines it takes to make anything complex into reality… Bottom line: engineers and scientists have been diminished in stature over the last half-century because they succeeded beyond almost anyone's expectations, including their own…We've taken the magic and thus the awe out of it, and made it seem routine and effortless.”

And Schweber goes onto to make another important point – science and the people that do it are often taken for granted. Science can at time be faceless with hardworking individuals and small teams simply being referred to ‘scientists’ or ‘researchers’. It’s not often that an individual is given the chance to stand out, and when combined with some of the recent controversies in science – GM crops, cloning, biochemical warfare – I think people have developed a distrust in science.

But are we beginning to see the return of “celebrity scientists”? Stephen Hawking – perhaps as well known for his illness as he is for his theories – and Stephen Jay Gould have featured in The Simpsons; and American science educator Bill Nye, The Science Guy has recently competed in Dancing with the Stars (the American version of Strictly Come Dancing).

And then there’s the ever charismatic Professor Brian Cox, who says he can’t drink in his favourite pub in Clapham High Street for fear of being mobbed by fans. But he told The Telegraph he welcomes the attention:

"Why wouldn't you want academics to be celebrities?...Of course I want science to be part of popular culture like that again. It's the way you get people interested in scientific ideas."

And I think that’s a really important point; he – amongst many others – has played a massive part in bringing science to the masses through excellent TV and radio shows. And let’s not forget programmes like The Big Bang Theory and Breaking Bad – which although entertainment, have a strong scientific element.

Its people and programmes like this – along with a lot of great work by various organisations and institutions – that has caused a renewed interest in science and is undoubtedly leading to, if it hasn’t already, the return of the scientific celebrity.