Being a rock star and an astrophysicist, although an odd combination perhaps, is no trivial accomplishment.

The latest academic achievement for BrianMay of Queen is the publication of his PhD thesis, entitled A Survey of Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud (say that three times fast!). The work is on the subject of what happens to the dust particles left over from the formation of the solar system about 4.6 billion years ago.

The thesis, which includes more than 200 pages of stuff most of us wouldn't understand, was well received by those charged with judging its worthiness.

Brian Cox, a physics professor at Manchester University, commented that "Brian May's achievement is amazing. People do not realize just how much hard work goes into a PhD."

May first began work on the thesis in 1970 when he decided to put his academic ambitions on hold when Queen really started to take off. The completion of that thesis that was started some 38 years ago suggests that Brian May is a man who does not like to leave things unfinished.  Ya think?