Is it chic to be a science geek?

BBC : The number of students studying A-level physics in the UK has increased for the fifth consecutive year, by about 6.1% from last year, writes Pallab Ghosh for the BBC. Commentators attribute the increase in part to the geek chic image being promoted by such TV sitcoms as The Big Bang Theory . Also, the BBC’s designation of 2010 as the Year of Science resulted in a number of new science programs, such as Brian Cox’s popular Wonders of the Solar System and Wonders of the Universe . Other possible factors include the current economy, which may be causing students to think more about their future employment prospects. Nevertheless, Imran Khan, director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, cautions that people shouldn’t get too carried away by those results: “Despite physics breaking into the top 10 A-levels subjects this year, we’ve only just got back to 2002 levels in terms of entries.” A gap still exists between the number of people with science and tech training and employer demand, according to Neil Bentley, deputy director general of the Confederation of British Industry.