An eminent scientist, Sir Tim Hunt, speaking at a conference in Korea about his ‘trouble with girls’ observed: “Three things happen when they are in the lab: you fall in love with them, they fall in love with you, and when you criticise them they cry.”
The scientific community has been responding on Twitter under the hashtag #distractinglysexy. It’s a lot of fun and the perfect way to show us a glimpse into their working lives. I’ll let these ladies speak for themselves:
Susan Rushton 
You can’t beat Twitter for making people wish they’d chosen their words more carefully. Funny tho’. I like the large paper towel roll tweet.
Some of the Twitter memes really amuse me – I like the mix of seriousness, irony and mischief.
Oh… how funny! Loved everyone of these tweets! ! Thanks for bringing me up to speed.
I was following along with these on Twitter. They are hilarious. So glad to see everyone getting on board with this!
I’m sure Tim Hunt now wishes he could swallow back every word. he must feel like crying now. Funny pics!
I think the tweets are so funny, I just wish Tim Hunt’s choice of a joke hadn’t cost him and his wife both their jobs. It sad that a little mistake like that can ruin so much. I mean the guy is 72, he comes from a different and much less P.C. time. You can check read about an interview with The Guardian here. http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jun/13/tim-hunt-hung-out-to-dry-interview-mary-collins
Thanks – I also found this on the same site too, for people in a reading mode.
Tim Hunt’s follow up message recorded for the BBC was a missed opportunity for him to set things right – PR advice would have been for him to immediately and wholeheartedly apologise, explain it was a poor joke and clarify as he’s doing in the Guardian piece. First responses matter in a news story – he’s lucky people are writing follow up articles giving him a second chance to set the record straight – that doesn’t always happen.
The hidden tragedy though is the millions of people who fail to realise their potential because of unconscious bias: society simply being unable to appreciate people’s different styles and contributions. I know this doesn’t just affect women – I wouldn’t suggest that for a moment. If Tim Hunt was a younger person, he’d find a way back in, but because he’s older, many people conclude he’s had his day. That’s a widely held bias too, also affecting millions, and I believe just as mistaken for society and hurtful for the individual.
Well said
Ha ha ha! I didn’t get the reference at first, but the post is brilliant!
These are priceless. So funny! So insightful.