When Professor Colin Pillinger decided to explore the surface of Mars using Beagle 2, was his interest at least partly accounted for by his similarity to archaeologist Phil Harding of TV’s Time Team? Perhaps not, as the latter has had more success using a trowel costing £3 than the former using a probe costing £30 million…
Setting aside the obvious tonsorial issues, I always felt that Andy Lawrence, the e-astronomer, bears more than a passing resemblance to Welsh comedian Griff Rhys Jones. Talks a bit like him too…
Famous Comedian
Famous Astronomer
Staying close to home in Cardiff, I should point out for those who were previously unaware, that our very own Matt Griffin had another career before becoming Principal Investigator for the SPIRE instrument on Herschel. His most famous acting role was as the seedy landlord, Rigsby, in the 1970s situation comedy Rising Damp.
Professor Matt Griffin
Rigsby
Well, first things first: Happy New Year!
It will be back to work soon but in the meantime I’ll continue where I left off yesterday with these look-alikes. I’ve been pressured into doing this one (although I can’t really see it myself). Does anyone really think Steve Eales looks like Nicholas Cage?
Steve Eales
Nicholas Cage
Oh go on then, it’s raining outside so here’s one more.
Has anyone ever noticed the resemblance between former musician, now particle physicist and media star Professor Brian Cox , and the Cat in the Hat from the Dr Seuss Books? Apart from the hat, that is…
Well, I seem to be on a roll but I don’t want to use them all up at once so here’s a last one for the day. Has anyone ever noticed the remarkable similarity between Professor David Southwood, Director of Science at the European Space Agency, and the erstwhile TV Sports presenter Des Lynam?
Des Lynam
David Southwood
Just to prove I wasn’t joking, here’s another one.
While reading the bumper Christmas holiday edition of the Anthropic Cosmological Principle the other day, I was struck by the similarity between one of the authors (the esteemed Professor John Barrow, who happens to have been my thesis supervisor) and Father Dougal, as played by Ardal O’Hanlon in the popular situation comedy, Father Ted. Perhaps this accounts for the book’s theological overtones?
Father Dougal
Professor John Barrow
The other evening, when I was watching Miss Marple on TV, I was struck by the remarkable resemblance between the eponymous detective (now played by Julia McKenzie) and Professor Andy Fabian, the President of the Royal Astronomical Society. I wonder if by any chance they might be related?
This isn’t the only example I can bring to mind of a famous astronomer or cosmologist who bears a strong resemblance to someone famous outside their own sphere, so I’ve decided to run a series of astronomy look-alikes which I’ll post from time to time when I can’t think of anything better to do. You have been warned!
Julia McKenzie
Andy FabianAndy Fabian
In the Dark 