That which is not measurable is not science. That which is not physics is stamp collecting.
Ernest RutherfordRead
I must confess it was very unexpected and I am very startled at my metamorphosis into a chemist.
Interpretation
Ernest Rutherford expresses surprise at his transformation into a chemist, highlighting the unexpected nature of personal change and development.
In this quote, Ernest Rutherford reflects on his unexpected journey into the field of chemistry, illustrating that personal evolutions often occur without prior anticipation. His sentiment captures the essence of how life can lead us down unforeseen paths, challenging our initial perceptions and allowing growth into roles we might not have initially envisioned for ourselves.
In practice
During a science conference, I could use this quote to express how my career path took an unexpected turn.
That which is not measurable is not science. That which is not physics is stamp collecting.
The energy produced by the breaking down of the atom is a very poor kind of thing. Anyone who expects a source of power from the transformation of these atoms is talking moonshine.
I am a great believer in the simplicity of things and as you probably know I am inclined to hang on to broad & simple ideas like grim death until evidence is too strong for my tenacity.
All science is either physics or stamp collecting.
Now I know what the atom looks like.
If your result needs a statistician then you should design a better experiment.
Nothing has tended more to retard the advancement of science than the disposition in vulgar minds to vilify what they cannot comprehend.
We must never make experiments to confirm our ideas, but simply to control them.
If we want to travel into the future, we just need to go fast. Really fast. And I think the only way we're ever likely to do that is by going into space.
It is a mere question of time when men will succeed in attaching their machinery to the very wheelwork of nature.
Science attempts to find logic and simplicity in nature. Mathematics attempts to establish order and simplicity in human thought.
Just as computer technology and the Internet created whole new industries and extraordinary benefits for people that extend into almost every realm of human endeavor from education to transportation to medicine, genetics will undoubtedly benefit people everywhere in ways we can't even imagine but know will surely occur.
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