Brian May regrets turning down astronomy job for music

Brian May has shared a personal regret from his early life, revealing that he turned down a prestigious job offer after college. The 77-year-old musician, known for his role in Queen, said he made this choice because he didn't want to leave his friends in London. In 1968, shortly after earning a degree in physics, May was offered a position at Jodrell Bank, an important radio astronomy facility in England. He described the offer as a dream opportunity but ultimately chose to focus on music instead. “I’m not proud of it,” he admitted in an interview. May reflected on the tough decision, mentioning his working-class background and modest family means. Instead of taking the job, he accepted a PhD program at Imperial College and continued to pursue music. By 1972, May decided to leave academia despite being close to finishing his doctorate. “Giving it up for music was a big risk,” he said, but he felt it was a necessary choice. After a break from academics and a successful music career with Queen, May returned to his studies. He re-registered for his PhD in 2006 and completed it in 2007, earning the title of Dr. Recently, he has been involved in scientific missions, including research on Mars with the HERA mission. Excited about their recent findings, May shared images and videos from the mission on social media.