Simon Singh | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Singh in 2013 at theMerseyside Skeptics Society | |
| Born | Simon Lehna Singh (1964-09-19)19 September 1964 (age 61) Wellington, Somerset, England |
| Education | Wellington School, Somerset |
| Alma mater | |
| Known for | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | CERN BBC |
| Thesis | Heavy flavour physics at the CERN PP̄ collider (1991) |
| Website | simonsingh |
| Notes | |
Tom Singh (brother) | |
Simon Lehna Singh,MBE (born 19 September 1964) is a Britishpopular science author and theoretical and particle physicist. His written works includeFermat's Last Theorem (in the United States titledFermat's Enigma: The Epic Quest to Solve the World's Greatest Mathematical Problem),[6][7]The Code Book[8] (aboutcryptography andits history),Big Bang[9] (about theBig Bang theory and the origins of the universe),Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial[10] (about complementary and alternative medicine, co-written byEdzard Ernst) andThe Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets (about mathematical ideas and theorems hidden in episodes ofThe Simpsons andFuturama).[11] In 2012 Singh founded theGood Thinking Society,[12] through which he created the website "Parallel" to help students learn mathematics.
Singh has also produced documentaries and works for television to accompany his books, is a trustee of theNational Museum of Science and Industry, a patron ofHumanists UK, founder of theGood Thinking Society, and co-founder of theUndergraduate Ambassadors Scheme.
Singh was born in a Sikh family[13] to parents who emigrated fromPunjab, India to Britain in 1950. He is the youngest of three brothers, his eldest brother beingTom Singh, the founder of the UKNew Look chain of stores. Singh grew up inWellington, Somerset, attendingWellington School, and went on toImperial College London, where he studiedphysics. He was active in the student union, becoming President of theRoyal College of Science Union.[14] Later he completed aPhD inparticle physics at theUniversity of Cambridge as a postgraduate student ofEmmanuel College, Cambridge while working atCERN, Geneva.[15]
In 1983, he was part of theUA2 experiment inCERN.[16]In 1987, Singh taught science atThe Doon School, an independent all-boys' boarding school in India.[17] In 1990 Singh returned to England and joined the BBC's Science and Features Department, where he was a producer and director working on programmes such asTomorrow's World andHorizon. Singh was introduced toRichard Wiseman through their collaboration onTomorrow's World. At Wiseman's suggestion, Singh directed a segment about politicians lying in different mediums, and getting the public's opinion on whether the person was lying or not.
After attending some of Wiseman's lectures, Singh came up with the idea to create a show together, andTheatre of Science was born. It was a way to deliver science to normal people in an entertaining manner. Richard Wiseman has influenced Singh in such a way that Singh states:
My writing initially was about pure science but a lot of my research now has been inspired by his desire to debunk things such as the paranormal – we both hate psychics, mediums, pseudoscience in general.[18]
Singh directed hisBAFTA award-winning documentary about the world's most notorious mathematical problem entitledFermat's Last Theorem in 1996. The film was memorable for its opening shot of a middle-aged mathematician,Andrew Wiles, holding back tears as he recalled the moment when he finally realised how to resolve the fundamental error in his proof ofFermat's Last Theorem. The documentary was originally transmitted in January 1996 as an edition of the BBCHorizon series. It was also aired in America as part of theNOVA series.The Proof, as it was re-titled, was nominated for anEmmy Award.
The story of this celebrated mathematical problem was also the subject of Singh's first book,Fermat's Last Theorem. In 1997, he began working on his second book,The Code Book, a history ofcodes andcodebreaking. As well as explaining the science of codes and describing the impact ofcryptography on history, the book also contends that cryptography is more important today than ever before.The Code Book has resulted in a return to television for him. He presentedThe Science of Secrecy, a five-part series for Channel 4. The stories in the series range from thecipher that sealed the fate ofMary, Queen of Scots, to the codedZimmermann Telegram that changed the course of theFirst World War. Other programmes discuss how two great 19th-century geniuses raced to decipherEgyptian hieroglyphs and how modern encryption can guarantee privacy on the Internet.
On his activities as author he said in an interview toImperial College London:
When I finished my PhD, I knew I wasn't exceptionally good and would never get the Nobel prize. As a kid, I wanted to be a footballer then a commentator. If I couldn't be a physicist, I'd write about it.[19]
In October 2004, Singh published a book entitledBig Bang, which tells the history of the universe. It is told in his trademark style, by following the remarkable stories of the people who put the pieces together.
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He made headlines in 2005 when he criticised theKatie Melua song "Nine Million Bicycles" for inaccurate lyrics referring to the size of theobservable universe. Singh proposed corrected lyrics, though he used the value of 13.7 billion light years; accounting for expansion of the universe, thecomoving distance to the edge of the observable universe is 46.5 billion light years.[20][21]BBC Radio 4'sToday programme brought Melua and Singh together in a radio studio where Melua recorded a tongue-in-cheek version of the song that had been written by Singh.[22]
Singh was part of an investigation abouthomeopathy in 2006. This investigation was made by the organizationSense about Science.[16][23]In the investigation, a student asked ten homeopaths for an alternative to her preventive malaria medication. All ten homeopaths recommended homeopathy as a substitute.[24]This investigation was reported by theBBC.[25]
Singh is a member of the Advisory Council for theCampaign for Science and Engineering.[26]
Singh has been involved in television and radio programmes, includingFive Numbers (BBC Radio 4, 11 March 2002 to 20 September 2005).[27]
In 2003 Singh was awarded an honorary degree ofDoctor of Letters (honoris causa) byLoughborough University, and in 2005 was given an honorary degree in mathematics by theUniversity of Southampton.
In 2006, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Design degree by theUniversity of the West of England "in recognition of Simon Singh's outstanding contribution to the public understanding of science, in particular in the promotion of science, engineering and mathematics in schools and in the building of links between universities and schools".[28] This was followed up by his receipt of theKelvin Medal from theInstitute of Physics in 2008, for his achievements in promoting Physics to the general public.[29] In July 2008, he was also awarded a degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) byRoyal Holloway, University of London.[30]
In July 2011, he was awarded another degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by theUniversity of Kent at Canterbury for services to Science. In June 2012, Singh was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) for his contribution to science communication, education and academic freedom byThe University of St Andrews.[31]
In 2003, Singh was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to science, technology and engineering in education and science communication.[32]
In 2010 he became the inaugural recipient of theLilavati Award.[33]
In February 2011 he was elected as a Fellow of theCommittee for Skeptical Inquiry.[34]
Singh was awarded the 2022IMA-LMSChristopher Zeeman Medal in recognition of his "excellence in the communication of mathematics". The award citation mentioned his work in television, his published books, and his work in mathematics education.[35]
On 19 April 2008,The Guardian published Singh's column "Beware the Spinal Trap",[36][37] an article that was critical of the practice ofchiropractic and which resulted in Singh being sued forlibel by theBritish Chiropractic Association (BCA).[38]The article developed the theme of the book that Singh andEdzard Ernst had published,Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial, and made various statements about the lack of usefulness ofchiropractic "for such problems asear infections andinfant colic":
You might think that modern chiropractors restrict themselves to treating back problems, but in fact they still possess some quite wacky ideas. The fundamentalists argue that they can cure anything. And even the more moderate chiropractors have ideas above their station. The British Chiropractic Association claims that their members can help treat children with colic, sleeping and feeding problems, frequent ear infections, asthma and prolonged crying, even though there is not a jot of evidence. This organisation is the respectable face of the chiropractic profession and yet it happily promotes bogus treatments.[36]
When the case was brought against him,The Guardian supported him and funded his legal advice, as well as offering to pay the BCA's legal costs in anout-of-court settlement if Singh chose to settle.[39]A "furiousbacklash"[40] to the lawsuit resulted in the filing of formal complaints of false advertising against more than 500 individual chiropractors within one 24-hour period, with one national chiropractic organisation ordering its members to take down their websites,[41][42] andNature Medicine noting that the case had gathered wide support for Singh, as well as prompting calls for the reform of English libel laws.[43] On 1 April 2010, Simon Singh won his court appeal for the right to rely on the defence of fair comment.[44] On 15 April 2010, the BCA officially withdrew its lawsuit, ending the case.[45]
To defend himself for the libel suit, Singh's out-of-pocket legal costs were tens of thousands of pounds. The trial acted as a catalyst. The outrage over the initial ruling[clarification needed] brought together several groups to support Singh[46] and acted as a focus for libel reform campaigners, resulting in all major parties in the2010 general election making manifesto commitments to libel reform.[4]
On 25 April 2013 theDefamation Act 2013 receivedRoyal Assent and became law. The purpose of the reformed law of defamation is to 'ensure that a fair balance is struck between the right tofreedom of expression and the protection of reputation'. Under the new law,claimants must show that they suffer serious harm before the court will accept the case. Additional protection for website operators, defence of 'responsible publication on matters of public interest' and new statutory defences of truth and honest opinion are also part of the key areas of the new law.[47]
Singh marriedjournalist and broadcasterAnita Anand in 2007. The couple have two sons and live inRichmond, London.[48][49]
