Update. #MikeTaylor (@mike) amplifies Bishop and Curry's call in his own new open letter.
https://svpow.com/2025/02/11/dear-royal-society-please-stop-lending-legitimacy-to-elon-musk/

"Musk’s behaviour in every field has been the antithesis of that described by the Society’s Code of Conduct: “selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership”… Now #Musk is an influential member of a US presidential administration that is actively impeding the progress of science on a scale not seen since the darkest days of the USSR, through censorship, catastrophic defunding, dismantling of infrastructure, and withdrawal from international coalitions. Added to this, his vindictive personal behaviour in targeting individuals contravenes every standard of decency."

#RoyalSociety

Update. "Elon #Musk’s fellowship of the #RoyalSociety remains intact after a meeting of the scientific body, the Guardian has learned, but questions remain about whether further action will be taken…Earlier on Monday, the Nobel laureate and AI pioneer #GeoffreyHinton – a fellow of the Royal Society – posted on X that he supported Musk’s removal. “I think Elon Musk should be expelled from the British Royal Society. Not because he peddles conspiracy theories and makes Nazi salutes, but because of the huge damage he is doing to scientific institutions in the US."

Update. Another resignation from the #RoyalSociety to protest its failure to expel Elon #Musk. Thank you, Kit Yates (@kityates), for your action and public statement.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/04/elon-musk-science-royal-society-scientific-integrity

"So for me it’s time to take a stand, small as it may be, and to distance myself from the Royal Society until such a time as it has the moral courage to specifically denounce the actions that Musk is taking to undermine science in the US and elsewhere. I will be resigning my position as associate editor at the Royal Society’s journal _Open Science_ with immediate effect. I will no longer submit my research to Royal Society journals or act as a peer reviewer for them. I would urge my colleagues to do the same."

Update. "Elon #Musk will remain a fellow of the #RoyalSociety after a meeting to discuss revoking his association with the U.K.’s most prestigious science organization ended without any disciplinary action being taken against the world’s richest man…More than 3,400 scientists and academics have also signed an open letter expressing their dismay at the lack of action by the Royal Society."
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/global/2025/03/07/elon-musk-survives-royal-society-expulsion-bid

Update. "The #RoyalSociety has decided not to take disciplinary action against Elon #Musk [who is a fellow of the society] over his conduct, saying that to do so could cause damage to the academy and science itself."
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/25/royal-society-decides-not-to-take-disciplinary-action-against-elon-musk

PS: The RS is not considering how the 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘦 to take disciplinary action is damaging the academy, science, and of course the RS itself. It's also saying that its own code of conduct counts for nothing.

#Academia
@academicchatter

I have to wonder if they recently received a substantial donation? And if so, from who? I can’t see any other reasonable explanation or justification for their stance on this.

Stinks to high heaven, there's just no rational explanation for it that doesn't involve bribery of some kind.

I suspect it's less about bribery and more about fear of adverse consequences - especially as the UK state is probably not going to come to their aid, given its current situation.

What adverse consequences?

If we look at the recent destruction of many institutions in the US, whether that be governmental, arms-length or private, many of those seem to have been motivated by petty spite on Musk's part. He may not have the legal power to destroy centuries old institutions, but he has the actual power to do so, and he's been using that power.

Musk does not have that sort of power here in the UK. Yet. But he does have a memory and the polls look uncomfortable for anyone opposed to pro-oligarch Right-wing parties. After the next election we may well see a blue or purple government, and then he may be given permission to take vengeance on organisations that have stood up to him.

If that's what's motivating them, then the society deserves to vanish. Giving into fascism years in advance, when they don't even know they will get into power, is despicable and abandoning many of the scientists they claim to be championing.

Science itself is under attack in the US, this is a time to oppose fascism if one believes in science. Maybe the Royal Society is more interested in protecting the Royal Society than science?

Sadly, the Royal Society has a long history of bowing down to temporal power. When the government liked slavery the Royal Society hosted slave owners, when the government liked eugenics the Royal Society hosted eugenicists, when the government liked nuclear bombs the Royal Society hosted people who built nuclear bombs.

Nowadays, it's AI grifters and fascist collaborators. I am disappointed in the Royal Society but I don't really expect any different. This sort of cowardice is who they are.