Scientific celebrity

Although this type of recognition has become more common in recent times (coincidental with the rise of celebrity culture), the phenomenon is centuries old.

By then, experimental data appeared to support Einstein's theories, and this revolutionary new way of thinking of the physical world commanded significant public attention.

However, he used his fame to advance social causes for which he had strong conviction, such as Zionism, nuclear disarmament, civil rights, and pacifism.

Hawking's celebrity status grew rapidly, and his involvement in popular culture was perpetuated through television and radio appearances, biographical books, and being the subject of a movie, The Theory of Everything.

Carl Sagan was an accomplished researcher in the field of planetary science by the time he published his 1977 book The Dragons of Eden, on the evolution of human intelligence, targeted for general, non-scientific audiences.

In 1980, Sagan hosted the television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which cemented his status as a scientific celebrity.

This form of academic snobbery has applied to some other scientific celebrities,[1][3][9] including Paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould.

Early on, scientists gained the publicity necessary for celebrity status through traditional print media, including newspapers, magazines, pamphlets and mailings.

Wilson, Barry Schwartz, Richard Dawkins, Steven Pinker, Brian Greene, and Laura Boykin, among others.

Amy Unsworth and David Voas[15] found that acceptance of evolution could decrease among some religious groups if it is advocated by a celebrity scientist who is perceived as having negative views of the religion, such as Richard Dawkins.

This has typically occurred when the findings have questionable scientific merit, and the scientists appeal directly to the general public.

These people often do not have scientific training but rather are professional journalists, a notable example being Jules Bergman of ABC-TV in the United States.

[20] Some celebrities are known for their roles in the media but not for their work in science, such as Mayim Bialik, one of the stars of the television show The Big Bang Theory, who has a PhD in neuroscience.