A nobel prize winning chemist is leaving Britain for America because he says raising funds for his work will become increasingly difficult after he reaches retirement age later this year, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Sir Harry Kroto shared the Nobel prize for chemistry in 1996 but says that he is tired of the constant struggle to raise cash, institutional ageism and government red tape in the UK.
Under university rules, he will have to retire as an active member of staff when he reaches 65. Florida State University has no such scruples, recognising valuable talent when it sees it.
When he goes to the university of Florida in October he will be able to continue his educational projects, have a small team to carry on his research, and funds to use at his own discretion.
But at least Britain can say that it leads the world in this sort of bureaucratic stupidity.
