How fast does the Sun orbit the Milky Way? | Brian May's Astrophysics Thesis on Solar System Dust

This week I sat down and read Dr Brian May's (from Queen) astrophysics thesis all about dust in the plane of the Solar System. You can usually see the glow from this dust just before sunrise and just after sunset. Watch to find out how Brian May spent years studying this dust before his success with Queen, and how he came back to it in 2006 to finish off his research and find evidence for how fast the Sun is orbiting around the Milky Way. ‪@BrianMay‬
Brian May's Thesis is available online here: core.ac.uk/download/pdf/29574...
Song clips used:
Under Pressure [Live at Wembley] - 00:53 - • Video
We Are The Champions - 01:43 - • Queen - We Are The Cha...
Another One Bites The Dust - 03:19 - • Queen - Another One Bi...
Don’t Stop Me Now - 04:08, 15:53 - • Queen - Don't Stop Me ...
Bohemian Rhapsody - 06:50 - • Queen - Bohemian Rhaps...
Somebody to Love - 08:02 - • Queen - Somebody To Lo...
It’s a Kind of Magic - 10:19 - • Queen - A Kind of Magi...
Killer Queen [Top of the Pops] - 13:50 - • Queen - Killer Queen (...
I Want It All - 17:50 - • Queen - I Want It All ...
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📚 "Space: 10 Things You Should Know": bit.ly/SpaceDrBecky
📚 US & Canada version: "Space at the speed of light" (same book, different title): www.penguinrandomhouse.com/bo...
📚 German translation "Das kleine Buch vom großen Knall" : www.dtv.de/buch/becky-smethur...
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🔭 Royal Astronomical Society podcast that I’m co-hosting 😱 🥳- podfollow.com/supermassive
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🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when I post a new video!
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📹 Dr. Becky also presents videos on Sixty Symbols: / sixtysymbolsand Deep Sky Videos: / deepskyvideos
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👩🏽‍💻 Dr Becky Smethurst is an astrophysicist researching galaxies and supermassive black holes at Christ Church at the University of Oxford.
drbecky.uk.com
rebeccasmethurst.co.uk

[@GelidGanef]

Brian May may be the astrophysicist of Queen but Becky Smethurst is the Queen of Astrophysics 👑

[@DrBecky]

😂 thanks!

[@charlesklimko492]

Yes, Dr. Becky is smart and beautiful.

[@michaelgoetze2103]

@@charlesklimko492 With a lovely voice that is easy to listen to.

[@chinatype2bassrocker809]

Well played!

[@MtnTow]

Wonder how one would set up a coffee date with her and Physics Girl.

[@chrissscottt]

As a Queen fan I'm tempted to buy May's thesis but I suspect it would only gather dust.

[@aussiebloke609]

So buy the book, and study the dust it gathers. Then write your thesis. :-D

[@NoName-fc3xe]

@@aussiebloke609 Mind. Blown! G'day btw.

[@SpaceMog]

😂

[@aunsomnidedistancia4720]

it's on pdf online.

[@jca111]

But you could then Bite The Dust

[@pgm3]

The reason Dr May left astrophysics for 35 years? Galileo let him go!

[@piotrd.4850]

Magnifico!

[@dukeofglasgow9354]

Mama Mia!

[@defiant4eva]

take my like, you son of a Bee!

[@davidanderson_surrey_bc]

Now THAT... was dynamite with a laser beam.

[@ZaphodOddly]

🤣🤣🤣 right on point!!!

[@jzero4813]

I was doing research at ICL in the Physics department when Brian May decided to come back to finish this thesis. It was the most surreal sight in the world to see that massive explosion of hair come shuffling into the common room looking for coffee along with the rest of the brown trousers and elbow patches about. Among his points of advice to PhD students at the time, in addition to working hard and so on, was to "have an awesome hairdo".

[@CaptApril123]

"I knew you'd come crawling back here, with your Glam-rock tail between your legs." "Shut Up Kevin!!!"

[@VelvetCondoms]

I love comments like this, because published paper has at least one story like this and I like to hear those stories.

[@peterxyz3541]

The 3rd Doctor? Jon pertwee?

[@jzero4813]

@@My_Fair_Lady I don't know you, and you don't know me.

[@jzero4813]

@@My_Fair_Lady Then we probably do know each other. I was in the experimental solid state group at the time and was there until spring '09. Terribly rude of you to call me a liar if you're actually so educated.

[@garrycollins3415]

First Class Honors for incorporating Queen lyrics with great affect.

[@DylanFahey]

Is it affect or effect? Always a tough choice.

[@garrycollins3415]

@@DylanFahey it should be effect because in this case the word is a noun. I think.

[@xCorvus7x]

@@garrycollins3415 An affect is an emotion or desire that influences behaviour. Albeit Dr. Smethurst's work has affected you in ways you find pleasant, 'effect' is your word of choice.

[@garrycollins3415]

@@xCorvus7x ah the good doctor. I are engineer, language has never been my lernin' of choice. I just googled it and found the explanation of noun versus verb (things and doin' words). And everyone knows the internet is always right.

[@xCorvus7x]

@@garrycollins3415 Pardon me, please, I am not able to handle this reply appropriately. You are certainly not serious, but whether this is banter or sarcasm I cannot quite tell (though _someone_ gave my comment a thumbs up); while snarky remarks are easy to produce, particularly in the verbally rich language of English, I have no idea how to respond, if this was banter. I hope the information I provided was of service to you.

[@scamassassin2538]

I love listening to Dr May speak about this topic! He’s such a brilliant man! Dr May: “Yes yes.... this little side project did sidetrack me for a bit.... but when passion infects you, it will always fight to get out.”..... this little “side project” being Queen!😂🤣 Brilliant!!

[@frankowalker4662]

Yeah, I saw that interview, it was brilliant, I did'nt know he was that witty.

[@mikebannwart2913]

when Queen just happens to be your back up plan and it worked out so well you might as roll with it since you dont know how long it was going to last...35 years later, oh i can finally get back to my main passion lol good times

[@ricksneed4171]

Thank you for making ASTROPHYSICS fun and semi understandable. I'm a 69-year-old bricklayer and between you and Tyson, Greene, Nye and a few others I have a bit of understanding of the cosmos and the environs.

[@tomgio1]

As a banker who has moonlighted as a garage band rock musician for 33 years, I casually mention Brian May (Astrophysics PhD, and Bruce Dickinson, type rated 747 pilot) as exalted examples demonstrating that yes, we musicians have chops beyond what most would consider in our typical wheelhouse. Thank you for this wonderful post!

[@rhonafenwick5643]

You can also add to that list Dexter Holland, lead singer of The Offspring and holder of a PhD in Molecular Biology!

[@RachelsSweetie]

I've told my kids once or twice how cool it was that Queen's guitar player went back decades later and finished his PhD in astrophysics. Thanks for going through his work with us, both scientific and musical. And it's cool that you got your PhD, too. Now I'm waiting for you to post some of your band's videos.

[@davidcarmer4476]

What, no suggested band names?

[@JediNg135]

@@davidcarmer4476 The Pleiades

[@gregoryw.jenkins8036]

Becky and the Boötes

[@JediNg135]

@@gregoryw.jenkins8036 YES!

[@Penfold101]

I Like Big Boötes and I Cannot Lie.

[@enysuntra1347]

"It's incredibly dry!" Well... What did you expect? It's DUST!!!

[@erictaylor5462]

Maybe she was talking about the humor. British wit is also very dry.

[@erictaylor5462]

"dust" includes water, and there is quite a lot of water in the dust. So interstellar dust is anything but dry.

[@enysuntra1347]

@@erictaylor5462 you sure? Over at +Thunderf00t, he demonstrated in a near-vacuum water was either vapour, or frozen solid...

[@erictaylor5462]

@@enysuntra1347 Well, hell. Here I am looking shit up to prove you wrong and me not wrong and guess what happened? I found out you were not actually wrong! But I still hold that I am also not wrong. In *SOME* definitions of wet, the state of the water is specified as "liquid" but "wet" is sometimes used when the state of the water is a gas or solid (ice). For example, it may be "hot and wet" out if the temperature and humidity are both high, but if the temperature is high and the humidity low it's called a dry heat. As a skier, I know snow can be considered dry, , wet, or really wet (slushy). "Dry snow is quite cold (well below the freezing point) and have a low water content per unite volume. This prevents the snow particles sticking together making it rubbish for snowballs but wonderful to ski on. While the dust contains little if any liquid water, it is full of water. Even so, while Thunderfoot is right to show that water can not be liquid in a vacuum he is, in general full of shit. He asserts knowledge he doesn't actually have. While he is often right, he is usually wrong, so please don't bother me by pointing out times he is right. Also, he's an asshole when you point out something he's wrong about. As I did here, when I see something I think is wrong on the internet, I tend to look it up and provide links proving my point. It's a good practice because as happened here, sometimes you might find out that what you think is wrong isn't. It saves you looking foolish when you find out you are not right, even if you kind of are. Just don't believe everything you see or read on the internet, unless you have outside information confirming the assertions made.

[@enysuntra1347]

@@erictaylor5462 Peace. I don't know +Thunderf00t personally, but yes, I take some of his claims with a grain of salt. The parts I can test from my knowledge - engineering and technics - usually are right, albeit not complete. How can you, however, make complete videos for a general audience? I'm coming from the different part of the spectrum, high temperature, high pressure steam usually in steam locomotives or turbines (or turbines powering locomotives). While it seems counter-intuitive to me ice (which Phil's explanation is IMO great to explain, even though boiling point there should be extremely low) does not suplimate directly into steam, to my knowledge water at vacuum either is solid ice, or a gas. While ice certainly has a great cohesion, what rinses dust on Earth - adhésion to ærosol droplets-seems to go missing in space. So you seem from my understanding to have either solid ice, or gazeous steam, but neither the liquid film under your skier, nor steam condensing more and more into vapour and ærosol. That's my factual understanding, while water is in the dust, it takes part in its dustiness, not wetting it. I could be wrong (not that much steam engines in space... or anywhere else nowadays, for that matter). However, I meant my remark as a light jokelet, not a serious contribution. Pardon if I caused you extra trouble.

[@PatrickPoet]

She's so cool. I love the way that she doesn't just educate us about the science but lets us see that she's just another person -- that's the kind of thing that might let a young woman feel like she had permission to be smart and do STEM if she wants. She's my favorite science youtuber for both those reasons 1) she does an excellent job teaching me things and 2) she role models much. She's making the world a better place.

[@mariomatovina4]

There is nobody more cool than Brian May. Great guitarist, great hair and he's astrophysicist.

[@Songbirdstress]

The fact that he's a legendary rock guitarist is probably the least interesting thing about him...

[@deviouskris3012]

His guitar must have some serious mass. I saw him at my local pub and my hand was drawn directly to touch it while he was playing a child’s sized acoustic.

[@EtzEchad]

"We're made of Star Stuff!" - Carl Sagan Actually, there is a reason that the Universe is so dusty. It's hard to clean up because nature abhors a vacuum.

[@MarcCoteMusic]

LOL... Well done, David.

[@eddieb7054]

Very thesis worthy sir.

[@eddieb7054]

That's why it's "mess(i)er.

[@thePronto]

That's what I told my mum. She just handed me a vacuum.

[@erictaylor5462]

The English people won't get that. They call a vacuum a "Hoover" Hey, are those vacuum cleaner trucks they use to clean parking lots "Hoover Craft in England?

[@turkosicsaba]

You might be a fan of Brian's work, but in sweltering Britain, Brian's work is a fan of yours! 🤔

[@dmpyron2]

Reporting that reply for being pun-gent

[@TanjoGalbi]

@@dmpyron2 Don't you mean re-pun-gent? :P

[@Yamo314159]

You blew me away with that pun!

[@flipshroomz9379]

'Pun-gent effulgent' .. 🖐👀🖑 Now were talking Space Rock!

[@JungleJargon]

The definition of the word fan is not exactly the same so that would be a bait and switch definition of the word "fan". I am so smart! It took me a while but I figured it out.

[@jerrysg7]

In 1966 my PhD thesis in Polymer Chemistry at the University of Akron, Ohio contained a very simple FORTRAN program to do least squares regression analysis. It was the first computer program in a thesis at that University. I often wondered where I would have gone if I had not considered computers as just a very expensive tool and had stayed with them instead of staying in chemistry. Still a very satisifying career.

[@NorthernChev]

So, I guess one could say, that after 35 years his research is officially "done and dusted!".

[@donald-parker]

I have dreams (nightmares) about trying to go back to university to get a post grad degree. After 40 years I can't even remember what I've forgotten. I am supremely impressed by the idea that he came back after so many years and "picked where he left off". And, as a guitar player, I am also supremely impressed. And we have not even begun to explore his stereoscope, or politics, or animal rights battles. A true renaissance man, a gentleman, and an honorable person.

[@michaelaramis1210]

recently i went back to take a special test to grad from highschool ( after ten years) i experienced some kind of unease because it has been many years since i actually took a test. a much older man was in the class too, he forgot his calculator, panicked and said he would leave as there was no point in taking the test because he would fail... ( the applicator convinced him to not leave, as math was only one of 7 areas to test that day ) i imagine he also had a long detour. it is very reassuring when someone comes back after a time and closes cicles. makes me feel a little less odd anyway, just wanted to tell a story

[@shenghan9385]

"i cant remember what I have forgotten", gold.

[@noelwade]

1978: "I want to Ride My Bicycle..." 2008: I want to Survey Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Cloud ...now _that_ is a journey!

[@molynieux]

"I study dust zodiacal" (works best when you stress the antepenult, as in America, rather than the penult, as was done in the video.)

[@zaphodhead1]

On my bicycle I study dust zodiacal

[@georgeb.wolffsohn30]

Yeah, but poetically it just doesn't scan.

[@edwardofgreene]

Well to be fair Bicycle is Freddie's song. However Fat Bottom Girls is Brian's and that's still quite the journey.

[@lisawillis8227]

Best comment

[@X-Gen-001]

Thanks for the link. I'm checking out his thesis right now. Dr Brian May is a brilliant and incredibly talented man. Back in the glory days of Queen I had no idea he was an aspiring astrophysicist. A Kind Of Magic is still one of my all time favorite albums.

[@susannekalejaiye4351]

Fascinating. Like every point you bring up, the order you present them and the contrasts over time. So glad he finished this and that you reviewed it. Thank you

[@SlideRulePirate]

A Doctorate AND Rock God Stardom.... He really did want it all.

[@davecasey4341]

And he wanted it NOW!

[@Cougar1212]

Hillbillies get "docorates". Intellectuals get "Doctorates. Ya maroon! : )

[@soaringvulture]

Anyone could want. Brian May got it.

[@zwz.zdenek]

@@Cougar1212 Small correction. He is a pirate, not a hillbilly.

[@stevec6427]

There's quite a few rock stars who are also doctors of various subjects. A lot of bands are formed while the members are at university. Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine, Greg Graffin of Bad Religion and of course Brian Cox are the first few who come to mind

[@JETGuitars]

❤ not many people know how brilliant Brian May of Queen is!

[@muffty1337]

But now i am one of them. ^^

[@terrymac9570]

Amazing man

[@enysuntra1347]

No wonder, all the dust obscures his brilliance.

[@Omnifarious0]

I believe that one of the members of Prodigy also has an advanced degree in one of the hard sciences.

[@seraphina985]

Indeed, I was aware of their brilliance as a musician but learning of their contributions to science is completely new to me. Also learned just how brilliant of a youtuber Becky is, not often that I get the pleasure of learning something completely new and unexpected like this with the amount of reading that I tend to do but this one was truly a surprise.

[@g-wizgeorge4454]

I enjoyed this video. The interspersed clips of May’s other efforts… and doing so as apropos as possible to the presentation, was smile inducing. Thank you for the educational and entertaining video.

[@deanlawson6880]

What an excellent video! It's such an interesting story about (Dr.) Brian May, the awesome Lead Guitar of Queen, being such a brilliant guy. I've been a life-long Queen fan and was even fortunate enough to see them perform live in concert many years ago. What a great kickass show that was! Thanks Dr. Becky for bringing us these excellent videos like this! I really enjoyed this video about (Dr.) Brian May!

[@jaymattson5449]

The cut clips are absolutely brilliant. :)

[@dragonatorul]

I wonder how fast the video was demonetized because of the clips.

[@poonamtribhuvan3521]

Undoubtedly the queen of astronomy..

[@andreachavez2117]

Popped in for a look at Dr. May's work. I've come away with a clearer understanding of a complicated subject and a new youtube channel to pay attention too. Thanks for making space a bit more digestible for those of us who never made it through physics, but still love looking up and wondering.

[@CrownRock1]

Dr. May is amazing! Don't Stop Him Now!

[@AdrianoCasemiro]

Very interesting take on explaining Brian May's thesis to us noobs and amateurs around your channel. Also, the clips from Queen are all spot on. Another awesome video. Keep'em coming, Dr. Guaranteed to blow my mind!

[@bsadewitz]

Overcoming inertia and returning to university after such a prolonged absence is a formidable accomplishment for anyone at any level. He managed to have a world class music career and then returned to his studies; this could be an example of opportunity cost in an economics text. I have never heard the words "heliocentric" and "dust" in such close proximity. Fascinating, thank you!

[@TheBaconWizard]

We need a Brian May vs Brian Cox collab, both musically and on a science podcast or something.

[@jca111]

They both have appeared on stargazing live together in the past

[@simianinc]

May was on Cox’s TV show as a guest. Cox kept interrupting May and changing the subject. I thought it was rude and disrespectful

[@JeffSyam]

For those who might be don't know, the song "39" (from the album "A Night at the Opera", written by Brian May) is about space travel with the twist of time dilation.

[@jca111]

Yes and I love that is done in the style of an old folk song telling a travelers take

[@timsmith6675]

Good presentation as well as being humorous. Love the shirt, too.

[@davidstenton5181]

Ah, Fortran takes me back to my programming days (70s-80s). This has rapidly become my favourite KZbin channel - your enthusiasm is infectious.

[@PhilBoswell]

I like the description of shouting at the computer…yes, that's pretty much what it felt like. As part of my course at UCL we actually got to run a tiny program on the Cray Supercomputer they had hidden away somewhere, which had to be written in Fortran. If I had known then, I'd have kept it as a reminder :-(

[@tmage23]

@@PhilBoswell IMO people who learn Fortran early become better programmers because they understand just how finicky and stubborn a language can be.

[@PhilBoswell]

@@tmage23 in that case why isn't everybody who ever tried COBOL a programming genius? :-P By that point I had already been exposed to SmallTalk, so I was not as smitten with Fortran as certain people…

[@simonblackham4987]

My feeling is that Fortran is closer to how a computer works ... other (high level) languages are more like how some logician thinks you ought to program ... hence the arguments about the use of 'goto'. PS Algol60 as undergrad ... Fortran IV (Daniel D McCraken anyone?) in engineering (how could a Fortran compiler take as much as 286K ?) ... Ace then RM cobol and successors for business ! ... forays into many other languages as required.

[@fromagefrizzbizz9377]

@@PhilBoswell We considered the people who programmed in Cobol dullards. By the time the program was big enough to do anything, you'd used up a whole carton of punch cards.

[@funkingfuss9724]

There is just something fascinating about an Old Dusty Queen that I can't explain. I am always amazed by People that are demonstrably geniuses in multiple fields. What a Gift they have been given. As a non gifted, I see a similarity to an athlete that excels at multiple sports. In life I mostly encounter people that are smart in only one aspect of life ie. An Engineer that can get you to the moon, but can't drive to work without causing a traffic jam. A designer that can build a car on paper, but can't figure out what's wrong when it breaks down. Every one is Smart about something, and I try to learn from them. Becky, with your KZbin videos, you have shown an talent in multiple areas and I thank you for what you have given me. Please keep teaching me stuff.

[@jbass6665]

Around 1990ish I was in a toy store at the Dallas Galleria Mall. In walks Brian May. No mistaking it was him. I was too much in awe to speak. I just gawked and made certain I made my purchase right behind him.

[@erictaylor5462]

I have known who Brian May is since I was 12 and fist discovered Queen in 1982. A few years ago I was watching a documentary and they had "Dr. Brian May" I was thinking, "Wow, not only does he have the same name as the guitarist/song writer but he *LOOKS* like him as well. Then I looked him up, thinking maybe they were related. Well, I guess they are related after all. *VERY* closely related.

[@dmpyron2]

They've known each since birth!

[@erictaylor5462]

@@dmpyron2 Is he your daddy?

[@hebl47]

10:03 so that's why The Knights Who (No Longer) Say Ni wanted a shrubbery! They didn't want it to obscure the western edge from 70° to 120°.

[@brianb8060]

And that's why they wanted the mightiest tree cut down with... A HERRING.

[@kevinsorensen367]

This, is epic. Perfectly placed clips of queen in a highly informational video. Brilliant work!

[@pault151]

Dr. Becky, you and/or your editors also have an impeccable grasp of Queen lyrics for all of the little drop-in samples. Science PLUS entertainment, a fantastic combo!

[@tarmaque]

I hope someday you get to meet Dr. Brian May, and I hope he's seen this and loved it as much as I do.

[@MyYTwatcher]

I think she already met him considering that "inscription" (or how do you call it in English) in the beginning of the book.

[@tarmaque]

@@MyYTwatcher I must have missed that! Of course I was eating lunch at the time too.

[@Brainfryde]

17yr old me loves to hear the science and information; 50yr old me loves you for not making it a technical nightmare of terminology while still throwing a few bits out for the math brain to enjoy :)

[@Leenie4567]

That interpellation of "Another One Bites the Dust" at 3:19 is brilliant and proof of Becky Smethurst's genius!

[@BrianKelsay]

I think its great that he never gave up on his dream. He obviously still kept up on the science over the years as well.

[@alexdevisscher6784]

Thanks for sharing that. Finishing a PhD thesis is hard enough. I can only imagine how hard it must be to return to a PhD thesis after 35 years.

[@RickySTT]

They published Dr. May’s thesis as a book because... *he’s Brian freakin’ May.*

[@timsmith5339]

I've watch this a few times now and it still makes me smile. The clips of Queen singing with some degree of relevance is very well done. I also seem to pick up some other nougat of information each time too! Thanks Dr. Becky

[@paramounttechnicalconsulti5219]

Theses written before the ~ 80's are really cool to look at. If you used a custom or modified "contraption" for whatever filed of sceince you were doing - no line drawings! Fold-out, full size, genuine "blueprints" had to be included. They are not only fun to leaf through, they are eminently readable. Peolple stuck to the rule that one defines every term and every acronym on first use - even the "common ones" - on the eminently practical notion that someone reading it may not be in your field; so what's "common" to one is not common to all.

[@olly5764]

Dr Brian May is now officially my second favourite Doctor of Astrophysics! Very interesting video,

[@realitycheck3363]

My favourite is Doctor Who.

[@erictaylor5462]

18:30 A fan of Brian May using his book as a fan. Love it!

[@ronbock8291]

Well that’s cool. I remember hearing that he was an astrophysicist, and that his contribution was in the field of optics, which I puzzled at, but now I understand. Thank you.

[@DeathValleyDazed]

Thanks for adding your delightful personality to a layman’s explanation of Dr May’s astrophysics!

[@wavemaker54]

Nice! Looks like you scored an autographed copy of his thesis.

[@gasdive]

I was waiting to see the close up of that page.

[@wavemaker54]

@@gasdive Likewise! I thought for sure there would be one, at least at the end of the outtakes.

[@marrrtin]

@@wavemaker54 another disappointed person wanting to see the autograph.

[@ffggddss]

"...all 215 pages of it; [I wonder how long] *my* thesis is. Hang on. 189. Dammit!" Dear Dr. Becky: My dad, who got his doctorate at MIT, once told me a tale of an unusually young full professor of mathematics there, whose thesis was 2 pages!! A true wunderkind! Point is, the shorter a (successful) thesis is, the *more,* not less, impressive that is. So you should be proud - you beat Brian May by 26 pages! Fred

[@ffggddss]

@David Renton I tend to agree; but what has that got to do with my comment? Fred

[@ffggddss]

@David Renton Well, I didn't catch that. It just seemed like an unrelated (though good) point. I guess the relation is that editing can get the substance across in fewer pages? Which is one of the most important functions of good editing. Fred

[@jmchez]

Louis DeBroglie's thesis is supposed to have been, maybe, 4 pages. The story goes that his professors did not quite understand it but sent a letter to Einstein, who responded with, "This is genius!".

[@kevinzhang3313]

For people actually pursuing it, it's the content rather than the page number.

[@meamzcs]

Well... I'd say Impact/Word is the most important metric.

[@nacnud_]

Absolutely love the interjected Queen lyrics! Smashed it, as ever! Glad you read the thesis though. 😂

[@thatotherguy7596]

It's amazing how talented a human being can be. Keep it up Dr. Becky and Dr. May. 💕

[@jameswebb8162]

I didn’t realize he finished it!! Way to go!! Thanks!! I’ll have too look at it!

[@susanne5803]

09:52: "Seventies was just the decade of hairography, wasn't it ..." 💇‍♀️ 💛 Yes, it so was! Thank you very much for another excellent video with a surprising topic! Kind regards

[@chinatype2bassrocker809]

Hair yeh it was!

[@PauloConstantino167]

Oh wow Thank you so much Brian for coming back to science just to illuminate our knowledge about space dust. We needed that so badly.

[@dougkennedy4906]

Considering the musical scale is based on mathematics. And Brian is a physicist. Would explain why his music is so great. I think it is great that he furthered his education. And showed the world just how brilliant he is.

[@TheBradbernard17]

iv said it b4 ill say it again, i love this chick! she is so dope. her editing in this one is nothing short of comedic geniusnessocity.

[@DrBecky]

Thanks! I’ve started to have much more fun with my editing recently so it’s good to know it’s appreciated 👍

[@slayerem]

This video was very well thought and produced. All those clips inserted here and there captured or punctuated the idea you were making brilliantly. I knew about Brian May going back to finish his phD, I did not knew he did it. This video is a small gem you produced and we (I, for sure) am thankful for your work in bringing science out to public and doing it in such an original and interesting way.

[@michaelayliffe7238]

Anyone who studies an unanswered question and has it reviewed desurves to be called doctor. On a clear night I can go into my backyard and look up to see the middle of Milkyway, I am truly grateful.

[@albevanhanoy]

Honestly, the concept of selecting a specific thesis and vulgarizing its content in a 20 minutes video is amazing and I wish it was done more, and not just for Brian May's thesis (As cool as Brian May is!)

[@henrikleion9861]

I found the chapter on how they built the equipment really interesting. The first time I ever got any use of the classes I took on analog electronics and filter theory. Really amazing what dr. May and colleagues were able to do with physical components and hand-wired stuff.

[@libertyresearch-iu4fy]

Does it say if John Deacon assisted with that? He is an electronics engineer, and the bass player for Queen.

[@VAXHeadroom]

8:17 Wait. You have a SIGNED copy?!?

[@symphony_baritone]

Holy cow you're right....

[@VAXHeadroom]

@@symphony_baritone RIght? And I mean, seriously, how could you NOT mention that in the video?

[@MammaApa]

@@VAXHeadroom I read in another comment that she borrowed it from a friend. So probably that. A NON signed copy is expensive enough. Like three figures expensive. I gave up my idea of getting one pretty fast.

[@BillFlann9]

Holy s#!+, I saw that and it went right past me. How did she not mention that! Fantastic video none the less.

[@m0j0rising]

I just stumbled on this somewhat older video that you'd made and enjoyed both the fact that you covered it so wonderfully and had so many topical snippets from Queen's prodigious library of songs. Well done!

[@Triggerboy78]

Wow... just wow. Awesome video, great editing, featuring 2 of my favorite things in life music (especially Queen) and science. Thx Becky!

[@shogun2215]

I seriously love how you say Dust, it's so northern 😂

[@NoName-fc3xe]

Dr Becky would make a great Discworld witch! When she said "our Brian" my first thought was, that sounds like something Nanny Ogg would say.

[@terryendicott2939]

You were the support structure when using Brian's dissertation to cool down. Does that make you his fan base?

[@DrBecky]

😂😂😂

[@gpicken]

An amazing guy. Loved his relationship with Sir Patrick Moore. I was born in 60 and pursued a career in Earth Science with a great interest in Astronomy. Your like a combination of the best if both IMHO. Live watching your work. 👍

[@Svensk7119]

"Oh, my universe"! Great invective, Dr. Becky.

[@Kneedragon1962]

"I just chipped a nail. Another one bites the dust, yeah yeah, another one bites the dust" I Love it!

[@mr51406]

8:17 It’s an autographed copy? VERY awesome interesting video! ⭐️☮️❤️🌹

[@AntneeUK]

Really appreciated the frequent (and relevant) Queen clips 😁

[@schwadevivre4158]

During his viva "Tell me Mr May, why did you abandon such a promising thesis for so many years? Did you have any reason that was more important?"

[@Sherwoody]

He was rather preoccupied with Mercury.

[@vollezar]

Dr. Brian "Like he is my best friend" May should see this.

[@allangibson8494]

Brian May is probably the best paid astrophysicist around at the moment....

[@libertyresearch-iu4fy]

The wealthiest maybe ... I don't think he made that much money as an astrophysicist.

[@allangibson8494]

@@libertyresearch-iu4fy I'd be surprised to find a non Nobel winning astrophysicist with a lot of spare cash....

[@papaowl13803]

Your way of thinking and explaining, put space and time at our level. I have learned so much from your videos. Am so glad to have found your channel Dr Becky. You have given me an extra spark you learn more about your universe.

[@nostooge]

@3:42 I worked in the astronomy dept at UW when Brownlee was Stardust PI. He kept a small chunk of aerogel on his desk. Very interesting moment in astronomy. Instruments were becoming more and more digital, and computational methods were quickly becoming much, much more important. For example, as late as 1998, it was common to see astronomers sitting in front of big 21" CRTs "blinking" - flipping back and forth between two images of the same portion of the sky, visually scanning for differences. Any difference meant a transient object, such as an asteroid, comet, supernova, depending on where you were looking. By 2000, all this sort of processing was done digitally. And by 2003 or so, we were doing it in real time, at the telescope. In any case, fun times!

[@RogerSullivanNOLA]

I'm sure he'll be rightly starstruck when he finds out he got this review from Dr. Becky!

[@davecasey4341]

And it wasn't a review of his music. It was a review of his thesis. ;)

[@jasonbone5121]

18:32 you missed another chance to insert a Queen snippet with "You're My Best Friend". Love your videos!

[@104thDIVTimberwolf]

"It's really dry..." Well, it is about dust. I am going to buy it and put it on the record shelf with my Queen vinyl.

[@kostastsen1630]

Looking at Dr. Becky while listening to her, re-instates the difficulty in comprehending Astrophysics for us that we actually love it..

[@Edsbar]

Have you asked Brian if he will give you an interview on your channel?

[@captaincrash12]

I think she under rates herself.

[@Edsbar]

@@captaincrash12 She does, unless she asks, it ain't happening. The worse that can happen is he says no.

[@l96ai]

@@Edsbar what if he said "eww.."?

[@pioneer_1148]

That's the most queen cutaways ever in a video

[@Sherwoody]

Maybe she was “Under Pressure” to acknowledge a scientist who is a rock star.

[@psionicinversion]

brain may became an astrophysicist after queen. wow, you really do learn something new every day

[@TheRealAndian]

i truly appreciate all the music clips. this is really fascinating info, too!

[@pantouffle]

Sounds like science to my ears

[@innertubez]

Amazing!! I never knew this. Thank you! “Another One Writes On Dust”

[@Max50ww]

Not bad.....as far as puns go

[@douglasbrinkman5937]

i dusted once, it came back. i'm not falling for that again.

[@Tinman_56]

Dr. Becky, this episode BLEW my mind! Wish you were my professor back in the day ! Very informative. Thank you .

[@StarGazerJim]

He’s a rock star, in more ways than one.

[@danijelandroid]

No, he grinded the rock and turned into a dust star. :-)

[@MelancholyCrypto]

I am learning so much from this, thank you!

[@rlk54]

LOL I blame you for buying Brian May's thesis. It was your KZbin blog which made me intrigued. I had to order it through Amazon from a USA based book seller who sent it me from India. So far I just had a quick glance through the book.

[@rodneyowen1850]

I learned programming in ForTran (Waterloo ForTran VI, a/k/a WATFIV) at the University of Georgia in 1980. I might actually be able to read that program! Great video!

[@jonathanbuzzard6648]

Fun fact, Dr Becky's Python3 code will be really difficult to run in 30 years, where Dr May's Fortran will still just compile and run.

[@jlunde35]

Wow, I never knew that about Brian May. Thank you.

[@ianbentryn8306]

I know, that whole thing about Queen was news to me!

[@thatguy6207]

The partials were known even before this guy studied the dust. My father was involved in detecting it in the 60s

[@davidwuhrer6704]

When Dr May officially joined the Luxuriant Flowing Hair Club for Scientists, the announcement made mention of his old student band. So I gave their records a listen, and I am glad to see that I am not the only one who thoroughly appreciates this little side project of his, even though it delayed the publication of his epochal thesis (and his joining the LFHCfS, of which he is certainly the most prominent member). Though I do have to say that the relative velocity of Earth and the Sun relative to the interstellar dust should not indicate how fast the Sun is moving around the galaxy, but but how fast it is moving through the interstellar medium, which certainly must be orbiting around Sagittarius A* in its own way.