10 famous actors and musicians who left their mark on science

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

From the outside, it may seem that well-known actors or performers simply have no time to engage in science. After all, the life of a popular artist is shooting, touring, constant flights, creative meetings. And science requires an attentive attitude to itself and a sufficient amount of time to obtain serious knowledge. But some stars take the time to get their degrees, and sometimes in the most unexpected areas.

Dolph Lundgren

He became famous in the 1980s and 1990s thanks to his filming in the most famous action films. "Rocky" (fourth part), "Universal Soldier", "The Punisher", "Showdown in Little Tokyo" and "Masters of the Universe" are just a tiny part of the films with the participation of Dolph Lundgren. However, not even all fans of the actor know that he served in the submarine sabotage forces and means of the Swedish Marine Corps, but for health reasons he was forced to leave military service.

After his transfer to the reserve, Dolph Lundgren became a student at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, graduating from which he received a bachelor's degree. He received his master's degree in chemical engineering at the University of Sydney, and then became a Fulbright Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. But Dolph Lundgren did not go to Boston. First, he was hired as a bodyguard by singer Grace Jones, with whom he moved to New York, where he attended acting classes. On the advice of friends, he decided to try his hand at cinema and subsequently gave preference to an acting career.

Semyon Slepakov

A well-known player in KVN, the captain of one of the most successful teams has established himself as a talented comedian. Perhaps this is why no one remembers for a long time that, while actively participating in KVN, Semyon Slepakov studied at Pyatigorsk University, after which he received a diploma in French translator. But, what is even more surprising, in 2003 a philologist and actor defended his Ph. D. thesis in economics on the topic "Market adaptation of the reproductive complex of a recreational region."

Brian May

After graduating from the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics at Imperial College London, Queen's guitarist was actively involved in scientific activities. He already had two scientific publications on astronomy and a practically finished doctoral dissertation on astronomical research in the infrared range, but he did not have time to defend it. Queen's phenomenal success forced him to abandon science in favor of music.

Nikolay Baskov

The opera and pop singer did not limit himself only to victories in vocal competitions. Nikolai Baskov, after graduating from the Gnesins Russian Music Academy, became a graduate student at the Moscow Conservatory, and then defended his Ph. D. thesis on the topic “Specificity of transition notes for voices. A guide for composers”.

Dexter Holland

The leader of The Offspring attended the University of Southern California, after which he earned a BA in Biology and then an MA in Molecular Biology. Dexter Holland later went on to graduate school and defended his dissertation, receiving a Ph. D. in molecular sciences. It should be noted that the Doctor of Philosophy is equated to the Russian academic degree of the Candidate of Sciences.

Sergey Bodrov

As you know, the actor, director and screenwriter, who tragically died in 2002, before coming to the cinema, studied at the history faculty of Moscow State University and specialized in painting of the Venetian Renaissance, and after graduating from graduate school he became a candidate of art history, defended his thesis on the topic "Architecture in Renaissance Venetian Painting ".

Greg Graffin

Bad Religion's vocalist earned his BS and MS degrees from the University of California, and his Ph. D. thesis on "Monism, Atheism, and the Naturalistic View: A Perspective on Evolutionary Biology" from Cornell University. Greg Graffin's scientific advisor was William Ball Provine, an American historian of science, evolutionary biology, and population genetics. At the same time, while Greg Graffin's dissertation was being prepared for publication, its title was changed to "Evolution and Religion: Questioning the Beliefs of the World's Eminent Evolutionists."

The musician and performer has lectured on natural sciences at the University of California and Cornell.

Boris Grebenshchikov

One of the founders of Russian rock is an extraordinary personality in all respects. He was fond of music almost from childhood. The creation of the Aquarium group in 1972 coincided with the admission of Boris Grebenshchikov to the Leningrad State University, the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Control Processes. After receiving his diploma, the musician was hired as a sociologist at a research institute at the rate of a junior researcher. But in 1980, Boris Grebenshchikov performed at a rock festival in Tbilisi, after which he was not only expelled from the Komsomol, but also fired from his job. Since then, he has been engaged in music and also the release of samizdat magazines.

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk

The leader of the Okean Elzy group is known not only as a musician. Recently, he has been actively involved in politics, and in his youth he graduated from Lviv University with a degree in theoretical physics, has a diploma in international economics (second higher education). In graduate school he prepared and defended his Ph. D. thesis "Supersymmetry of electrons in a magnetic field."

In addition, Svyatoslav Vakarchuk became one of 16 Yale University scholars in the Yale World Fellow in 2015. The goal of this program, as stated on the Yale University website, is to increase the ability of outstanding people from different countries to make the world a better place.

Mayim Bialik

In "The Big Bang Theory", the actress very reliably played the role of the young and promising neuroscientist Amy. And the point here is not only in the talent of reincarnation. Before committing to acting entirely, Mayim Bialik actually studied neuroscience and even has a Ph. D. in this field. The actress received her dissertation in 2008.

Hollywood star and neuroscience doctor, feminist and religiously religious Jewess, cat lover and double mom, and vegan writer and director: the image of Mayim Bialik seems to consist of countless clichés, which she easily breaks. But, speaking in seemingly contradictory hypostases, she is perceived surprisingly harmoniously, and for this, probably, she receives recognition and love from viewers all over the world. First of all, those who are familiar with the "Big Bang Theory".