Leading scientists in running to feature on new £50 note
PROFESSORS STEPHEN Hawking and Dorothy Hodgkin, the only British woman to win a Nobel prize for science, are among early proposals for the eminent scientist to feature on the new £50 note.
Bank of England governor Mark Carney opened the public nominations yesterday, with the requirement of them being no longer living and from fields such as medical research, biology and astronomy.
Professor Brian Cox was quick to nominate Prof Hawking, the renowned theoretical physicist who died in March, for inspiring “thousands of scientists” and “millions” of others.
Royal Society president Venki Ramakrishnan said he would choose “remarkable individual” Prof Hodgkin, the chemist who died in 1994.
“We can thank Dorothy for revealing the three-dimensional structures of many biologically important molecules such as penicillin, insulin and vitamin B12, as well as inspiring several generations of leading crystallographers,” Dr Ramakrishnan added.
Prof Hodgkin won the coveted prize for advancing the technique of X-ray crystallography, which is used to determine the 3D structures of molecules.
While many will not have a £50 note burning a hole in their pocket, the Bank says some 330m are in circulation.
The scientist will feature on the other side of the note to the Queen, who can be the only living person on bank notes.
The Bank was keen to stress it must not be a non-fictional character, warding off another “Boaty McBoatface” scenario where the fictional name for a research vessel attracted the most votes.
Making the announcement at the Science Museum in London, Mr Carney added: “So, I’m afraid, no Time Lords from whatever gender are eligible.”
The public has six weeks to register their nominations on the Bank’s website, with Mr Carney making the selection to be announced next year.
Nominations close on December 14, and Mr Carney said the announcement should be made by next summer.