When Scientific Inquiry Meets the Big Chill

We love heroes, especially those who rise to the occasion against a consensus of appeasement. These rebellious, disobedient individuals, who risk both lives and livings, are celebrated in pop culture from Gary Cooper’s beleaguered marshal in High Noon to Bruce Willis’ Everyman in Die Hard. In real life, however, such people are rare. Since Jan. 20, the Trump administration and its unelected allies have bullied a public servant, artist or scientist nearly every week — and most of these moments are met with expressions of resignation or complicity. Every day has become high noon in America. This week Capital & Main launches a column examining people or institutions that succeeded or failed to stand up against intimidation.

*   *   *

Is It Editing or Censorship?

“This year’s ceremony lasted longer than the prior few years, and several edits were made in order to meet the originally planned run time.” 

The Hollywood Reporter, April 15, 2025

That is how the Breakthrough Prize Foundation explained its deletion of Seth Rogen’s anti-Trump cracks from a video stream of the foundation’s April 5 awards gala, touted as the Oscars of scientific achievement. The comic actor’s rogue quips came during the presentation of a physics award to the Dutch Nobel laureate Gerardus ’t Hooft. The foundation’s $3 million prizes, awarded to each of six recipients, were funded by tech heavyweights Mark Zuckerberg and Sergey Brin, and others. They were joined at this year’s event by fellow industry titans Sam Altman, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, as well as by movie-star presenters including Jodie Foster, Drew Barrymore, Vin Diesel and Gwyneth Paltrow. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the event’s media sponsor, actor Edward Norton thanked these and other billionaires in the audience for underwriting the event. Then co-presenter Rogen made a pointed reference to a past patron and former audience member — Elon Musk. 

“It’s amazing that others in this room underwrote electing a man who, in the last week, single-handedly destroyed all of American science,” Rogen said. “It’s amazing how much good science you can destroy with $320 million and RFK Jr., very fast.”

Apparently Rogen’s remarks were met by nervous laughter — the kind that has increasingly been heard since Jan. 20 whenever the Trump administration is publicly mocked by speakers unafraid of blacklists and censorship. It’s hard to say for sure, though — the Breakthrough Prize edited out Rogen’s remarks in its official YouTube stream. Hence the “several edits were made” statement. On its IRS Form 990, the nonprofit makes no mention of ironclad runtimes, only that “The ceremony features celebrity presentations, films, comedy, and live music from major artists.”

*   *   *

Walking Tall in Harvard Yard

“No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue . . . The work of addressing our shortcomings, fulfilling our commitments, and embodying our values is ours to define and undertake as a community.”

Open Letter from Harvard University President Alan Garber, April 14, 2025

While he’s sometimes been described as “mild mannered,” President Garber was as bold as Gary Cooper’s Marshal Will Kane as he rejected the latest Trump administration diktat, this one freezing $2.2 billion in federal funds and threatening the university’s tax-exempt status. 

The Trumpocracy seemed to regard Garber’s declaration of independence as an act of insolence. Then it received an even steelier notice from Harvard’s lawyers, which said in part:

“The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government. Accordingly, Harvard will not accept the government’s terms as an agreement in principle.”

By April 18 the Trump administration appeared to be back-channeling to the media a claim that a badgering list of demands it had sent to Garber really wasn’t supposed to be sent — before labeling Garber’s pushback “a victimhood campaign.”

Copyright 2025 Capital & Main