A Telangana Class IX SSC textbook, according to a Times of India report by Nirupa Vatyam, has cited late rockstars Freddie Mercury and David Bowie as "scientists", crediting them with “removing salt from seawater using a semi-permeable membrane through a process called desalination". The goof-up in the biology textbook appeared in the "Did You Know" section, according to the report. Thomas Jefferson is considered the inventor of the earliest forms of desalination.
Freddie Mercury was the iconic frontman of the band Queen, known best for his masterpiece Bohemian Rhapsody. Born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar, then colonial Tanzania, his family—of Indian Parsi origin—moved to Mumbai, where the youngster was schooled. There, he got his first piano lessons, and played with a band The Hectics, before finally moving on to settle in London. He joined a local band named Smile, and, with guitarist Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and drummer Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy), went on to discover Queen.
David Bowie, born David Robert Jones in Brixton, south London on January 8, 1947, released 25 albums in his career as well as acting in several films. He changed his name early in his career to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of the Monkees. One of the most popular and flamboyant artistes of his generation, Bowie is credited for glam rock though he defied being tied to to a particular genre by producing great music in art rock, soul, hard rock, dance pop, punk and electronica in an eclectic 40-year career. After releasing his first hit, 'Space Oddity', in 1969 Bowie became a global superstar with the success of albums such as 'Hunky Dory' and 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust' and the 'Spiders from Mars'.
-Inputs from PTI
