In 2005, Steven went public with a controversial theory regarding the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9/11. His assertion that the collapse was likely the result of pre-positioned explosives rather than the hijacked planes resulted in a backlash from the community and even threatened his standing as a professor at BYU.
Despite hate mail, threats, and even bribery to end his research, Steven refused to give in to overwhelming pressure and continued his pursuit of the truth.
For the majority of his career, Jones was known primarily to other scientists for his work on muon-catalyzed fusion. In late 2006, officials at Brigham Young University placed Jones on paid leave. He retired on October 20, 2006 with the status of Professor Emeritus.
Jones’ placement on paid leave drew criticism from the American Association of University Professors and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. Both organizations have long been critics of BYU’s record on academic freedom.