Elon Musk is a proven danger to good science, but the Royal Society won’t say it. That’s why I resigned
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Elon Musk is given a chainsaw as a gift by Argentine president Javier Milei at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Maryland, 20 February 2025. Photograph: Carol Guzy/ZUMA Press Wire/Rex/Shutterstock

Kit Yates

Fellows of the Royal Society  to discuss, as they put it, “Fellows’ behaviour”. In light of the resignation of two fellows and an open letter , many, including me, expected the discussion to be focused on the behaviour of one particular fellow: Elon Musk.

The Royal Society, as one of the world’s most esteemed scientific institutions, bears the responsibility of maintaining standards among its fellows. Musk, admitted as a fellow in 2018 for his technological innovations, has recently engaged in behaviour that . In particular, many scientists have taken issue with his assault on the conduct of science in the US and beyond as head of the Trump administration’s “department of government efficiency” (Doge) as well as his malicious accusations against public scientists (such as ) and .



Dr Anthony Fauci is one of the public figures Elon Musk has spoken of maliciously. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Some have argued that expelling Musk ; that by blurring the boundaries between science and politics, the society would damage science’s integrity. I believe this perspective overlooks the critical role that scientific institutions play in upholding ethical standards and defending the integrity of science, especially at times when science and scientists are subject to threats and intimidation from political institutions.

I was once told towards the beginning of my career: “Everything is political, especially the things that people tell you are not political. Those are the most political of all”. There is some truth in that when it comes to science. The intersection of science and politics is both inescapable and of vital importance. Scientists possess unique expertise that is crucial for informed policymaking and societal progress. Embracing political engagement allows scientists to fulfil their ethical responsibilities, defend the integrity of their work and contribute meaningfully to addressing the complex challenges facing society today.

Disengaging in the political issues that surround and influence science is not the virtue that some commentators would have you believe. If anything, it is a betrayal of the profound impact that science can and should have on the world. In particular, a failure to act on Musk’s behaviour will only embolden those who seek to exert political influence over science and scientists – and erode the foundational principles of science.

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  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.

The Royal Society is correct in its statement that it needs to “advocate for science and scientists at a time when these are under threat as never before and yet at the same time have never been more necessary for humanity at large” – but without the society taking concrete action to enforce its own rules and defend its own scientific integrity, I’m not sure I can have confidence in it to advocate for the broader scientific community.

Kit Yates is professor of mathematical biology and public engagement at the University of Bath and author of  and 

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