Fallen leaves and spent gum are not the only intruders upon the slabs of Bloomsbury. Mysterious stencils, depicting the noble countenances of eminent (male) scientists, recently appeared on our local sidewalks.

The pavement portraiture extends around the main UCL campus and Wellcome Trust buildings, taking in Gower Street, Byng Place, Gordon Street and Euston Road. I spotted Darwin, Newton, Einstein, Maxwell, Rontgen, Planck and Hubble, among others.

The high-brow graffiti was reportedly spawned from a Big Draw event, which took place at UCL last month. Although the event is now over, its legacy can still be enjoyed by seeking out this most academic of street art.