Male Scientist Wants Single-Sex Labs Because Girls Cry Too Much

Here’s a message from 72-year-old biochemist Sir Tim Hunt: Ladies, stop falling in love with me!

The Nobel Prize-winning scientist recently spoke at South Korea’s Conference of Science Journalists about the need for single-sex labs.

“Let me tell you about my trouble with girls,” Hunt opened, poorly.

“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.”

Needless to say, the Internet was not amped to hear about this.

A kind-of contrite Sir Tim later told the BBC he was “really sorry” about the offence caused.

"I did mean the part about having trouble with girls," he added, however.

"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.”

Though Hunt maintains he had a jokey tone at the top of his speech, attendee Connie St Louis reported that the crowd was “stony-faced” throughout his address.

Dr. Jennifer Rohn of the University College, London was diplomatic about the gaffe, though she recognised the potential damage it could have wrought.

“I think it was clear he was trying to be funny, but people will interpret his comments as having a kernel of truth underneath,” she said.

“And as a Nobel laureate, I know he's a human being, but he does have some sort of responsibility as a role model and as an ambassador for the profession."

Hopefully Sir Tim doesn’t get too emotional from all this criticism.