Scientists told to stop 'whispers'

Scientists were today warned to stop a whispering campaign against a high-profile female colleague.

The "malicious" campaign in the prestigious Royal Society centres on the nomination of Professor Susan Greenfield as a member.

With a fondness for mini-skirts and appearances in Hello! magazine, Lady Greenfield is one of Britain's most familiar academics.

But some members of the society are said to believe the Oxford pharmacology don's research is not substantial enough to warrant membership.

Now, the council of the body, founded in 1660, has intervened, saying it regrets the controversy. It condemns "any individual who acts deliberately or maliciously to breach the confidentiality of the society's election process".

Lady Greenfield has in the past condemned "lies and snipings" aimed at undermining her academic reputation.