Elon Musk survived as a member of the Royal Society after a crisis meeting, but in the future could still be stripped of the honor as a call for his expulsion.
The billionaire was chosen in 2018 as fellow of the National Academy of Sciences of the UK for its technological performance in the field of space travel and electric vehicles.
However, there has been a widespread call for his removal under the scientific community – so that he is thrown out of the body for the first person for more than 150 years.
More than 3,400 scientists have signed an open letter that accuses the X owner of violating the Code of Conduct of the Society.
The letter written by Stephen Curry, an emeritus professor of structural biology at Imperial College London, quoted Musk's apparent shift from scientific activities to right -wing politics both in the US and abroad and the most important care of other members.
Referring to Musk's perpetuation of conspiracy theories online, his trolling of Dr. Anthony Fauci and his labeling of Labor Member Jess Phillips as a 'rape genocide apologist', argued that the South African billionaire clearly had violated the code or code of the Royal Society.
Other issues of discussion were the involvement of Musk in the new department of the government of Government Efficiency (Doge) of the Donald Trump and the alleged impact on the science community.
In the open letter Curry stated: “The situation is made more serious because Mr Musk is now taking a position within a Trump government in the US who has participated in an attack on scientific investigation in the US that federal courts has fallen in recent weeks.”
Billionaire Elon Musk has been a fellow with the Royal Society since 2018, but could be the first fellow to be deported in more than 150 years
The Royal Society, the world's oldest continuously existing scientific academy, was first founded in 1660 and has people like Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein as earlier members
Elon Musk, in view of the crowd above what he claims, was a 'throwing my heart away' movement, but many have interpreted as a Nazi greeting, during the inauguration of President Donald Trump last month
The crisis meeting of the Fellowship of the Royal Society took place on Monday evening and was specifically set up to discuss the public statements and behavior of Fellows, the Guardian reported.
After the meeting, the Royal Society issued a statement that refers to 'radical cutbacks in research financing' and the need to prevent 'the wrong information and ideologically motivated attacks on both science and scientists', but explicitly avoids Elon Musk.
The statement said: 'During a meeting tonight of the Royal Society, Fellows were the same to stand up for science and for scientists around the world in the light of growing challenges.
'In particular, concern was expressed about the fate of colleagues in the US who are reportedly confronted with the prospect of losing their jobs in the midst of threats of radical cuts in research financing.
'Fellows, of whom more than 150 attended tonight's meeting, were united in the necessity of society to increase its efforts to argue for science and scientists at a time when they are threatened as never before and at the same time never been necessary for humanity in general.
“Society agreed to look at potential further actions that can help argue for science and scientific research and to combat the wrong information and ideologically motivated attacks on both science and scientists.”
The CEO of Tesla had a testy exchange with the 'Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton on Sunday after Mr. Hinton ran to remove Musk from the Royal Society because of 'the enormous damage he causes to scientific institutions in the US'
In a post on X, Mr. Hinton wrote: 'I think Elon Musk should be driven out of the British Royal Society.
'Not because he grabs conspiracy theories and makes Nazi greetings, but because of the enormous damage he causes to scientific institutions in the US. Now let's see if he really believes in free speech. '
The CEO of Tesla had a testy exchange with AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton on Sunday after Mr Hinton recalled that Musk was removed from the Royal Society because of 'the enormous damage he caused to scientific institutions in the US'
Musk has also been very critical of Dr. Anthony Fauci, who led the American reaction to the Covid 19 Pandemie
Musk's branding of Labor MP Jess Phillips as a 'rape genocide apologist' was also cited by the members of the Royal Society as a violation of the Code of Conduct of the Society
In his answer, the Tesla, SpaceX and Neuralink CEO, who also own the social media platform X, said: 'Only Craven, giving uncertain fools for prices and memberships. History is the actual judge, always and forever.
'Your comments are carelessly ignorant, cruel and false. That said, which specific actions require correction. I will make mistakes, but try to repair them quickly. '
The Code of Conduct of the Royal Society and the disciplinary regulations set: “Fellowship and foreign membership of society is a privilege based on compliance with specific behavioral standards.”
One passage in the document is explicit about the need for the members of the Royal Society to 'maintain the reputation of society and those who work in it' when considering their public statements or written statements.
The document says: “When speaking or publishing statements in a personal capacity, Fellows and foreign members still have to strive to maintain the reputation of society and those who work in it, and take into account that what is said or mentioned in personal capacity can still influence society.”
Two eminent scientists have already deposited their fellowships in protest against the continuous membership of the society of Musk.
Dr. Dorothy Bishop of Oxford University and Prof Andrew Millar from the University of Edinburgh were both taken, and called Musk's actions and statements 'incompatible' with the Code of Conduct of the Society.
Last November Professor Dorothy Bishop, a psychologist from the University of Oxford, resigned from the scientific institution.
After the crisis meeting, the Royal Society published a statement that refers to 'radical cutbacks in research financing' and the need to 'prevent the wrong information and ideologically motivated attacks on both science and scientists' – but explicitly mention Elon Musk
Prof. Bishop protested the behavior of Musk and involvement in the US presidential elections of 2024 and said she refused to be associated with a group that Musk calls a member – and noticed that Musk seemed to model himself on a 'bond -villain'.
“I just feel much more comfortable to be dissociated from an institution that continues to honor this notorious man,” she added.
Her resignation was followed by that of Andrew Miller, a biologist from the University of Edinburgh in February 2025.
Miller mentioned the inability of the Society to take proportional action about the current promotion of Elon Musk of disinformation and attacks on evidence-based policy and science advice 'as a reason for his dismissal.
