Lev Landau

Physics Soviet 1908 – 1968 306 quotes

Made fundamental contributions to many areas of theoretical physics, including quantum mechanics, condensed matter physics, and cosmology.

Most quoted

"There are three kinds of scientists: those who are good at calculations, those who are good at experiments, and those who are good at talking. I belong to the third category."

"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution."

"The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science."

All quotes by Lev Landau (306)

Don't be afraid to make mistakes. That's how you learn.

Advice to students

The main thing is to understand the physical meaning of the equations.

Lecture

If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.

General remark

The best way to predict the future is to create it.

General remark

Science is the poetry of reality.

General remark

The true scientist is a person who is always asking 'why'.

Interview

Mathematics is the language of physics.

Lecture

The most important thing in science is to have a good taste.

Advice to students

A theory is only as good as its predictions.

Lecture

The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.

General remark

Physics is not just a collection of facts, but a way of thinking.

Lecture

To understand nature, you must be part of nature.

General remark

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.

General remark

The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful.

General remark

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

General remark

The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.

General remark

The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible.

General remark

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.

General remark

The only real valuable thing is intuition.

General remark

The aim of science is to make difficult things simple.

Lecture