Arno Penzias

Cosmology Germany 1933 – 2020 100 quotes

German-American physicist who accidentally discovered the cosmic microwave background, providing key evidence for the Big Bang.

Quotes by Arno Penzias

When you're doing science, you're not looking for something specific. You're looking for something new.

Nobel Lecture 1978

The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...'

Nobel Lecture 1978

We didn't set out to discover the Big Bang. We were just trying to get rid of some noise.

Interview 1978

The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.

Nobel Lecture 1978

Sometimes you have to be lucky, and sometimes you have to be smart. But mostly, you have to be persistent.

Interview 1980

The greatest discovery is not the one you set out to make, but the one that surprises you.

Speech 1990

Science is a process of continually refining our ignorance.

Interview 1985

The universe is a vast and mysterious place, and we are just beginning to scratch the surface of its secrets.

Public Lecture 1995

The most important thing in science is to ask the right questions.

Interview 1988

The universe is not static; it is constantly evolving and changing.

Nobel Lecture 1978

Our discovery was a classic example of serendipity in science.

Nobel Lecture 1978

The background radiation is a fossil remnant of the early universe.

Nobel Lecture 1978

It's not about being right, it's about getting closer to the truth.

Interview 1992

The universe is a grand experiment, and we are all part of it.

Speech 2000

The beauty of science is that it allows us to understand the world around us in a deeper way.

Interview 1998

We were looking for pigeons, and we found the Big Bang.

Interview 1978

The universe is full of surprises, and that's what makes it so exciting.

Public Lecture 2005

The pursuit of knowledge is a never-ending journey.

Speech 1990

The universe is a testament to the power of natural laws.

Nobel Lecture 1978

Our work showed that the universe had a beginning.

Nobel Lecture 1978