A graphic of Albert Einstein made up of

A graphic of Albert Einstein made up of 18,000 signatures in protest by the University and College Union (UCU) against plans to change research funding is pictured near the Houses of Parliament in central London on December 16, 2009. The proposals, announced by Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in September, have been condemned by the academic community as an attack on curiosity-driven research as they would only allow research to go ahead if they could be proved to be financially beneficial. The signatories come from the full range of academic disciplines and include six Nobel Prize winners and over 3,000 professors. AFP PHOTO/Leon Neal (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP via Getty Images)