A clash is brewing at the Royal Society, the world's oldest scientific academy, as its fellows convene to discuss Elon Musk's alleged breaches of their code of conduct.
The meeting follows an open letter, signed by more than 2,400 individuals including Nobel laureates, accusing the X owner of propagating “unfounded conspiracy theories”.
The letter's author, Emeritus Professor Stephen Curry of Imperial College London, said Mr Musk was an active disseminator of misinformation on his social media site X (formerly Twitter).
The letter was not about restricting political viewpoints or “enforcing some kind of political conformity”, but upholding the Royal Society’s core principles of scientific integrity, respect for evidence, and adherence to truth, Professor Curry said.
These principles will be central to the code of conduct under scrutiny at Monday's meeting, where fellows will deliberate on the “principles around public pronouncements and behaviours of fellows”.
Professor Curry, a structural biologist, said fellowship of the society was an “honour” that depended on following the code.
Fellows were responsible for exemplifying “the very highest ideals and standards of behaviour” expected of all scientists, he said.
“In that respect it seems to me, and it seems to everybody who has signed the letter, that Mr Musk has deviated from that standard in a very serious way.”
In the open letter, published a fortnight ago, Professor Curry said he was writing to “express my dismay at the continued silence and apparent inaction from the Royal Society over the fellowship awarded in 2018 to Elon Musk”.
He wrote that concerns regarding Mr Musk potentially breaching the code were first raised more than six months ago.
Professor Curry also mentioned the tech entrepreneur’s X post in which he attacked Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips over the issue of historical grooming gangs in the UK.
The letter was sent to Royal Society president Sir Adrian Smith, who then sent fellows a letter announcing a meeting would be held in March.
In late February, the Royal Society released a statement headed “science under threat” that Professor Curry said addressed some concerns he had raised.
It did not name Mr Musk, but the professor said it was “a step in the right direction”.
The statement said: “Ideological agendas are being used to suppress research, threaten academic freedom and to cut funding.
“Scientific evidence and those who advocate for it are under attack by those who wish to undermine rational debate.
“Platforms that should facilitate open, transparent debate are giving free rein to harmful misinformation and ideological attacks on people and ideas.
“The Royal Society will use its voice and the expertise of our fellows to resist the various challenges to science.”
It added that the academy “stands for equality, diversity and inclusion”.
Professor Curry said that he did not believe the Royal Society would reach a decision about Mr Musk on Monday.
But people needed “a clear account” of the academy’s options and whether it was satisfied that Mr Musk did not breach the code, he said.
“I think if they want to maintain the trust of the wider scientific community, which I think they do, then some explanation of the action or inaction that they’ve taken is warranted”, he added.
Professor Curry is not invited to the closed meeting as he is not a fellow.
After the fellows’ meeting it would be for the leadership to decide whether to make a statement, he said.
