Will Musk be banished from the Royal Society?

• The Royal Society, a renowned scientific institution, is facing a crisis due to Elon Musk’s alleged violation of the Royal Society’s code of conduct.

• The Royal Society, which includes notable figures like Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Stephen Hawking, has been under pressure to rescind Musk’s fellowship.

• The Royal Society’s code of conduct, which includes a strict adherence to ethical standards, has been criticized for Musk’s actions.

• The first fellow to resign over this issue was Dorothy Bishop, an emeritus professor of developmental neuropsychology at the University of Oxford, who lodged two complaints in 2024.

• An open letter to the Royal Society’s president, Adrian Smith, has been signed by almost 3,500 members of the scientific community.

• Stephen Curry, an emeritus professor of structural biology at Imperial College London, and fellow AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton have expressed dismay over Musk’s actions.

• Musk’s conduct within the current Donald Trump administration, including cuts to funding for scientific research, spreading false material, and engaging in political propaganda, have been cited as breaches of the Royal Society’s code of conduct.

• Musk’s alleged slanderous charges against public scientists and his refusal to allow others to influence his research methods have also been criticized.

• Despite the pressure, Musk’s Royal Society fellowship remains in place, with the group planning to take further actions to counter misinformation and ideologically motivated attacks on science and scientists.