Women scientists show how #distractinglysexy they are

It’s safe to say few tears have been shed by women in science over the resignation of Nobel-winning scientist Sir Tim Hunt after his now infamous comments regarding “girls” and their habit of dissolving into tears.

“Three things happen when they are in the lab; you fall in love with them, they fall in love with you and when you criticize them, they cry,” Hunt said, prompting outcry, then condemnation and now mirth.

On Twitter, the “girls” of science are doing their best to prove how #distractinglysexy they are, by posting pictures of themselves in lab gear.

Some are even seen posing with poop.

And cows.

University College of London announced Hunt’s resignation on Wednesday, with a brief statement saying:

“UCL can confirm that Sir Tim Hunt FRS has today resigned from his position as Honorary Professor with the UCL Faculty of Life Sciences, following comments he made about women in science at the World Conference of Science Journalists on 9 June.”

“UCL was the first university in England to admit women students on equal terms to men, and the university believes that this outcome is compatible with our commitment to gender equality.”

Steve Diggle, a microbiologist from the University of Nottingham stepped in with a ready-made sign to address Hunt’s concerns about coed labs.

“Caution: Mixed Gender Lab! No falling in love or crying permitted”

After the intial outcry, Hunt apologized in an interview with the BBC for any offense his comments had caused, but said that he stood by them.

“I did mean the part about having trouble with girls. It is true that people — I have fallen in love with people in the lab and people in the lab have fallen in love with me and it’s very disruptive to the science because it’s terribly important that in a lab people are on a level playing field,” he said. “I found that these emotional entanglements made life very difficult.

“I’m really, really sorry I caused any offense, that’s awful. I certainly didn’t mean that. I just meant to be honest, actually,” he added.

Some came to Hunt’s defense, questioning whether his resignation amounted to a curb on free speech,

“Seems London’s Professors are not allowed free speech at UCL as #TimHunt resigns. It’s all uclnews to me,” tweeted Barbara Cookson, a European patent lawyer and IP expert.

Hunt was part of the team that won the Nobel Prize in physiology in 2001 for the discovery of key regulators of the cell cycle.