Celebrities and scientists rub shoulders at the top science awards

A-list actors and musicians showed up in force at a glitzy California event last weekend, but it wasn’t for a movie or music award. Instead, they gathered to celebrate breakthroughs in science and research at a ceremony sometimes called the science Oscars. The red carpet at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica was packed with familiar faces like Robert Downey Jr. , Margot Robbie, and Paris Hilton, along with others like Lionel Richie and Michelle Yeoh. While Hollywood stars are usually tied to entertainment, this event highlights achievements in life sciences, physics, and math.The prize money is no small amount—over $15 million gets handed out each year to researchers making major contributions. That’s a lot more than most Hollywood awards offer. The event mixes star power with serious science, raising questions about why glamour gets involved in academic recognition. Some might wonder if this kind of celebrity attention helps or distracts from the real work being honored. Others argue that mixing entertainment with science could inspire more people to care about research. Either way, the event makes science feel more visible—and maybe even a little more exciting—thanks to the star-studded crowd.