"We all know that chance, fortune, fate or destiny - call it what you will - has played a considerable part in many of the great discoveries in science. We do not know how many, for all scientists who have hit on something new have not disclosed exactly how it happened." (Alexander Fleming, [Nobel lecture] 1945)
"It may be that while we think we are masters of the situation we are merely pawns being moved about on the board of life by some superior power." (Alexander Fleming, [Nobel lecture] 1945)
"A simple calculation shows that from the classical theory follows that we should find a broadening of the beam with the maximum intensity on the place of the beam without field. However, from the quantum theory follows that we should find there no intensity at all, and deflected molecules on both sides. The beam should split up in two beams corresponding to the two orientations of the magnet. The experiment decided in favor of the quantum theory." (Otto Stern, "The method of molecular rays", [Nobel lecture], 1946)
"The classical theory is a grandiose conception. The same fundamental laws govern the movements of the stars, the fall of this piece of chalk, and the fall of molecules. But it turned out that the extrapolation to the molecules did not hold in some respects. The theory had to be changed in order to describe the laws governing the movements of the molecules and even more of the electrons. And it was at this point that the molecular ray method proved its value. Here the experiment did not just check the results of the theory on which there was practically no doubt anyway, but gave a decisive answer in cases where the theory was uncertain and even gave contradictory answers." (Otto Stern, "The method of molecular rays", [Nobel lecture], 1946)
"The essential point is that the classical theory and the quantum theory predict quite differently the behavior of the atomic magnets in a magnetic field. The classical theory predicts that the atomic magnets assume all possible directions with respect to the direction of the magnetic field. On the other hand, the quantum theory predicts that we shall find only two directions parallel and antiparallel to the field ( new theory, the old one gave also the direction perpendicular to the field)." (Otto Stern, "The method of molecular rays", [Nobel lecture], 1946)
"Art and science can best grow and develop in a society which cherishes freedom and which shows respect for the needs, the happiness and the dignity of human beings." (Carl Cori, [Nobel lecture] 1947)
"Now the most striking feature of the atmospheric air at high levels is that it is ionized, and for that reason the spherical shell surrounding the earth at the levels with which we are concerned is called the ionosphere. It has, of course, been suspected for many years that when there is an aurora1 display, yielding intense luminosity, the upper atmosphere must be strongly ionized like the gas in a Geissler tube." (Edward V Appleton, "The ionosphere", [Nobel lecture" 1947)
"On the practical side of applications, ionospheric research has provided the basic ideas underlying the development of practical radiolocation of solid objects, for both the pulse-modulation and the frequency-modulation methods of measuring the distance of a reflecting surface by radio means have been used in the techniques of radar. Also, since we now have a fair understanding of the way in which the ionization in the reflecting layers varies through the day, through the season, and through the sunspot cycle, it is possible to forecast what I may call the 'ionospheric weather' some time ahead. There has thus developed, on the practical side, the subject of 'ionospheric forecasting' by which it is possible to forecast, say, three months ahead, the most suitable wavelengths for use at any time of the day, over any distance of transmission, at any part of the world. In this way, scientific work conducted in the first instance with the object of exploring the wonders of the world around us, is now indicating how nation can speak unto nation with greater clarity and certainty." (Edward V Appleton, "The ionosphere", [Nobel lecture" 1947)
"The simplest explanation was that a neutral particle had collided with a nucleus and ejected two mesons, but this was rejected since one would expect to find very many more of such cases occurring in the lead plate in the gas. As these were not found, it was concluded that the forked track did not represent a collision process at all, but a case of spontaneous integration of an unstable particle." (Patrick M S Blackett, "Cloud chamber researches in nuclear physics and cosmic radiation", [Nobel lecture] 1948)
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