Biochemist Tim Hunt is being criticized over his remarks on women in science on social media and elsewhere. It is being called 'internet shaming'.

Last week, Hunt who won the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Paul Nurse and Leland H. Hartwell, made some remarks to members of the Korea Federation of Women's Science and Technology Associations at a luncheon at the 2015 World Conference of Science Journalists. Hunt explained that the problem with girls in scientific research settings is that when they are criticized after falling in love with them, they cry.

He later said that his comments were in point of fact meant in a 'totally jocular, ironic way'. But he was taken very seriously and things only got worse as the media highlighted his comments, which led to more problems for him.

A hashtag campaign, '#distractinglysexy', loaded internet with pictures of female scientists in their diverse protective costumes with the campaign title.

Fellow scientist Prof Brian Cox spoke to BBC Radio 4's World at One programme and said it was a 'serious' situation, but at the same time he questioned whether Sir Tim should have quit.

According to Prof Cox, "Is it appropriate to hound someone out of their position at a university or indeed, is it appropriate for the university to react in the way that UCL in this case did and ask someone to resign or else threaten to sack them?" He said it seems wrong and disproportionate to quit after all years of good work in science.