Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, might get kicked out of the Royal Society.
Over 2,700 scientists signed an open letter protesting Musk’s membership
Elon Musk’s spot in the UK’s oldest scientific academy—the Royal Society—might be in trouble.
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Over 2,700 scientists aren’t happy about him being a member, and they made that loud and clear by signing an open letter protesting his fellowship. Now, the society is set to have a meeting about it on March 3.
Professor Stephen Curry criticized the Royal Society’s silence all those years
Professor Stephen Curry from Imperial College, London, also had something to say. In the open letter, he called out the Royal Society for what he described as its “continued silence and apparent inaction” over Musk’s 2018 fellowship.
He claimed that Musk’s behavior violated the Society’s code of conduct.
Some other members have already had enough
One of them is Professor Dorothy Bishop, a psychologist from the University of Oxford. She actually resigned in protest, saying she didn’t want to be part of an institution that counted Musk as a member.
Curry highlighted accusations against Musk of spreading conspiracy theories
He also pointed out Bishop’s resignation, mentioning Musk’s “promotion of unfounded conspiracy theories” and the way he went after Anthony Fauci, the former Chief Medical Advisor to the U.S. President.
No Royal Society member has been expelled in over 150 years except one…
Kicking someone out of the Society isn’t exactly common. In fact, in over 150 years, the only person ever expelled was Rudolf Eric Raspe—for fraud.
According to Curry, this whole thing is a big deal, especially because of Musk’s ties to the U.S. government. The 53-year-old has been named an advisor to President Donald Trump and also leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)
The Royal Society was founded back in 1660 to support scientific research
Based in London, the Royal Society backs scientific research, advises policymakers, and helps scientists and researchers connect across the world.
Gathering some of the best scientists and engineers from the UK and the Commonwealth—people who’ve made big contributions in fields like math, engineering, and medical science.
The Royal Society has honored some of the most renowned scientists in history
Over the years, it’s had some pretty legendary names on its list, including Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, and Charles Darwin.
Right now, the Society’s president is Adrian Smith who took over in November 2020, replacing Venki Ramakrishnan.
