Tintin Forums

Does anyone remember the frame that introduces the scientists
who are part of the expedition to the fallen meteorite ?

It was very funny because each of the scientists hairstyle
resemble their fields of research. Eg. one scandinavian
chap who specialized in "solar prominences" and had hair
like solar flares.

Can anyone quote more funny scientists from that frame ?

I take it you're referring to the top half of page 14 of The Shooting Star.

Actually, apart from Decimus Phostle, Erik Bjorgenskjold is the only other academic to have his research interests named ("author of distinguished papers on solar prominences"). So I can't see any repeated correlation between hairstyle/fields of research. That said, while Bjorgenskjold's hair doesn't look like a solar flare close-up, its style around his domed head could be said to represent a blazing sun. You might even make a case for saying that Decimus Phostle's hair resembles the tail of a shooting star! It's an interesting point on the relationship between text and image.

Ed

It's also funny to note that Phostle's head is shaped like a quarter-moon!

I'm not sure about Cantonneau's research interests (he does reappear in "The Seven Crystal Balls"), but his head shape and hair style are quite unique (looks more French than anything else).

Yeah, the Swedish scientist was the one who looked the most unique (although when I first read the book, I would not have been able to understand his research interests).

With regard to Cantonneau, can anyone try to reconcile his research interests in The Shooting Star with those in The Seven Crystal Balls? It seems strange that an authority on meteorites should also join an ethno-archaeological expedition. Perhaps there could be some connection between astronomy and the Inca's worship of the sun? Or perhaps he just has a diverse field of research.

It's also interesting how the seven scientists in The Seven Crystal Balls have had their names anglicised in the English version (1962), with the exception of Cantonneau because he had already been mentioned by name in the multi-national expedition of The Shooting Star, translated the year before.

Ed

Is it possible that Erik Bjorgenskjold might be modeled after a real Norwegian physicist from the early 20th century named Kristian Birkeland? He was credited with discovering the reason behind the phenomenon known as the Aurora Borealis.

You might be on to something there, Hoxha!

This page names one of Birkeland's works as The Norwegian Aurora Polaris Expedition 1902-1903, and "Aurora" is of course the name of the expedition's ship in The Shooting Star. And from his picture, you might say there was a degree of similarity between him and Bjorgenskjold.

One difference is that Birkeland was Norwegian and Bjorgenskjold is Swedish, though Norway and Sweden had been united in name for much of Birkeland's lifetime.

Ed

edcharlesadams
(...) connection between astronomy and the Inca's worship of the sun?

Imho, what can be said about Professor Paul Cantonneau, University of Fribourg, Switzerland, is that he's the only one who participated in both Tintinverse's 'earthly' scientific expeditions, organized to learn about stars & Indians.

Cantonneau's wide range of interests could thus match with the funny symbol seen in the Seven Crystal Balls, i.e. the 'giant star & bat' Music Hall's decor possibly meant to draw one's attention on both the Shooting Star ('Mysterious Star' in the original version) & some 'unseen transmission systems', among them a strange Indian 'ciphered' language (please see related thread)...

Professor Paul Cantonneau, of the University of Fribourg, could well have been based on a sculpture of the founder of said university, George Python. This is a photograph of the bust of M. Python which is situated in the bibliothèque cantonale at the University.

Richard
Professor Paul Cantonneau, of the University of Fribourg, could well have been based on a sculpture of the founder of said university

Really amazing how they look like each other physically!

Was George(+s?) Python a specialist in stars & Indians, as is Swiss Prof. Paul Cantonneau?

Oops, sorry, I did indeed miss the 's' off his name ! I thought it looked a bit odd ... anyway, I can't seem to find out what he was a specialist in, although he appears to have been a state councillor responsible for education.

There's a photograph of the actual man here - he really does bear a striking resemblance !