Half of what we know is wrong, the purpose of science is to determine which half.
Arthur KornbergRead
As in biomedical science, pioneering industrial inventions have not been mothered by necessity. Rather, inventions for which there was no commercial use only later became the commercial airplanes, xerography and lasers on which modern society depends.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Innovation often arises without immediate necessity, leading to breakthroughs that become essential in society.
Arthur Kornberg emphasizes that significant industrial inventions frequently emerge from creativity rather than pressing needs. Technologies like commercial airplanes, xerography, and lasers initially did not serve a clear purpose but eventually became crucial components of modern society, showcasing how visionary ideas can transform into indispensable tools over time.
Themes
InnovationInventionScienceTechnologyNecessity
In practice
Example use cases
During a science conference, this quote can be used to inspire inventors and entrepreneurs about the importance of creativity.
More from Arthur Kornberg
All quotes →No matter how counter-intuitive it may seem, basic research has proven over and over to be the lifeline of practical advances in medicine.
Arthur KornbergRead
Similar quotes
The internal machinery of life, the chemistry of the parts, is something beautiful. And it turns out that all life is interconnected with all other life.
Richard P. FeynmanRead
Of course it is possible that UFO's really do contain aliens as many people believe, and the government is hushing it up
Stephen HawkingRead
Modern science says: 'The sun is the past, the earth is the present, the moon is the future.' From an incandescent mass we have originated, and into a frozen mass we shall turn. Merciless is the law of nature, and rapidly and irresistibly we are drawn to our doom.
Nikola TeslaRead
What we can be scientifically certain of is that our continued use of fossil fuels is pushing us to a point of no return
Barack ObamaRead
His epitaph: Who, by vigor of mind almost divine, the motions and figures of the planets, the paths of comets, and the tides of the seas first demonstrated.
Isaac NewtonRead
A scientist who is also a human being cannot rest while knowledge which might be used to reduce suffering rests on the shelf.
Albert SabinRead