The president of the Royal Society has reignited controversy over Elon Musk’s association with the body by arguing that fellows should only be thrown out for fraud or other flaws in their research.
In an interview with the Guardian, Paul Nurse defended the academy’s decision not to take action against Musk – who was elected a fellow in 2008 – despite claims that the tech billionaire had breached codes of conduct, including over his role in cutting US research funding as part of a US “government efficiency crackdown”.
Nurse, who became president of the society for a second time last month, said the code of conduct may need to be addressed, saying: “We elect people for scientific achievement or delivery. And so my view is that if they are proven wrong or not right then we will get rid of them.”
Musk’s Fellowship has been freshly controversial after revelations that his Grok AI tool within X allows clothing to be digitally removed from images, including those of women and children.
Some colleagues have told the Guardian they support Nurse’s approach, with chemist and Nobel laureate Professor André Geim saying he would go further.
“The Royal Society should not be expelling anyone, full stop. Why? Because expulsion is theatre. The people you want to punish generally don’t care,” he said, adding that humans were dirty and even brilliant scientists could be terrible people.
Geim said Musk’s “obsession” was a perfect example of effort gone wrong.
“Is this really the best use of society’s oxygen? Musk won’t care. His fans won’t care. His critics will simply demand the next skull. Meanwhile, the real work of the Royal Society, defending the conditions for science in Britain, is sidelined by a glossy, low-impact row,” he said.
American chemical engineer and Nobel laureate Professor Francis Arnold also voiced his support for the nurse.
She said: “Our widespread dislike of Musk’s positions and behavior is not grounds for removal. We need to tolerate speech (and legitimate actions) that we find distasteful.
“However, I do not agree that scientific fraud is the only basis for expulsion. For example, one might consider certain criminal acts.”
However, other partners disagree. One said the Guardian Nurse’s comments brought the society into disrepute and made a mockery of its code of conduct.
He said, “The most Nurse has been willing to do is write a mildly worded letter to Musk, suggesting that perhaps he might want to reconsider whether his activities are consistent with a continued fellowship.” “This is not a decision Musk should have to make.”
Another colleague said: “If his activities at Doge and, more recently, allowing his AI to take off women’s clothes in front of everyone, aren’t bringing science into disrepute, I don’t know what is. In short, evil thrives when good people do nothing.”
A third fellow, who did not want to be named, said: “Fellowship is not a lifetime exemption. Scientific institutions have a responsibility to hold members accountable for behavior that harms public confidence in science.”
Another fellow professor Peter Somogyi also criticized Musk are supporting violence Approach to changing society, saying that the nurse “avoids the hot potato, but it won’t go away”.
Members of the broader scientific community have also pushed back. Professor Rachel Oliver of the University of Cambridge wrote to the nurse Asked him to reconsider his statements in the Guardian and financial TimesEmphasizing the importance of a code of conduct that makes clear that sexual harassment is unethical and will not be tolerated.
“The implication of your words – that under your leadership the only violations of the code that are likely to be sanctioned with fellowship removal are those related to research misconduct – already risks empowering oppressors,” he wrote.
A spokesperson for the Royal Society said: “The Royal Society does not tolerate discrimination, harassment or bullying of any kind. This is enshrined in our code of conduct and will continue to be so.”
Stephen Currie, professor emeritus of structural biology at Imperial College London, who previously coordinated an open letter to the society about Musk, said that Nurse’s stance that the academy should not make judgments about the character and behavior of fellows was in direct contradiction to its code of conduct.
Curry said the “weakness and cowardice” of society’s response to Musk’s “disrespectful behavior towards their code and their values” was “really disappointing”.
“This is not the full defense of scientific values that we so desperately need in these difficult times,” he said.
Professor Andrea Cella of University College London, who previously handed back An award from the society in protest said Musk has fueled a growing anti-science movement, destroyed primary health care in the developing world, and ushered in technologies that create and amplify misinformation and enable misogynistic and racist attacks, “not to mention making tackling the threat of climate change even more difficult”.
“I think many of us look to the Royal Society for leadership,” Sela said. “Peers have failed the scientific community.”
