The Muppets, Dr Frankenstein, Brian Cox - for at least two hundred years science and scientists, real and fictional, have played a prominent role in the media.  How far are the media responsible for creating and maintaining scientific stereotypes, good and bad, such as mad scientists and heroic adventurers? Is the celebrity scientist a twenty first century phenomenon or should we be looking back two hundred years to explain the (horse and carriage) traffic jams in central London every time Humphry Davy gave a lecture? In this talk I explore these issues in a historical context to suggest that we are still fascinated by nutty professors, celebrity scientists and bubbling test tubes.

Part of an Evening Lectures Series by staff from the Media Arts and Communications Dept and C3RI Research Centre.