One Million School Children Think Professor Green Is A Scientist, Study Says

29 October 2012, 11:22

Children and teenagers also think that Tulisa Contostavlos invented penicillin.

One million school children think Professor Green is a scientist, according a new study.

The survey, conducted by Haier Home Appliances, asked 1,000 children, aged between 5 and 16, about their knowledge of a series of personalities.

Around one in 20 school children believe The X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos created penicillin, while a quarter of eight-year-olds think Stephen Hawking is a hairdresser.

Jeff Moody, sales and marketing director of Haier Home Appliances UK, said: "It is eye opening to discover that children of today are more aware of popular figures like Mark Zuckerberg than men and women who have made iconic discoveries and inventions that have revolutionised the modern world."

Reacting to the study, Professor Green wrote on Twitter: "One million school children think I'm a real professor? One rapper thinks there are probably better questions to be asking school children."

Other unusual findings included around a third five-year-olds surveyed believed think Boris Johnson discovered gravity.