F. Sherwood Rowland
He shared the Nobel Prize for his work on the depletion of the ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons.
Most quoted
"Isn't it a responsibility of scientists, if you believe that you have found something that can affect the environment, isn't it your responsibility to actually do something about it, enough so that action actually takes place?"
— from Nobel Prize Lecture, 1995
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Especially if you made them feel wrong."
— from Attributed/Paraphrased
"What's the use of having developed a science well enough to make predictions if, in the end, all we're willing to do is stand around and wait for them to come true?"
— from Interview/Speech
All quotes by F. Sherwood Rowland (415)
Our work was a testament to the power of basic research.
We must educate the next generation about the importance of environmental protection.
The Earth is resilient, but it has its limits.
The Nobel Prize was a recognition of the importance of our findings.
Science thrives on open inquiry and critical thinking.
We have a responsibility to leave the planet in a better state than we found it.
The scientific community must continue to speak truth to power.
What's the use of having a scientific discovery if you can't tell your mother about it?
It's not enough to discover something; you have to convince the world it matters.
When you're doing science, you're always wrong until you're right. And even then, you're probably still a little bit wrong.
The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...'
If you're not making mistakes, you're not trying hard enough.
The problem with predicting the future is that it hasn't happened yet.
Some people think science is boring. They're probably not doing it right.
It's amazing how many people think 'common sense' is a substitute for data.
The only thing worse than being wrong is being wrong and not knowing it.
Science is a lot like detective work, except the criminals are atoms and molecules.
If you want to make enemies, try to change something.
The biggest challenge in science is often not finding the answer, but asking the right question.
I've always found that the best way to predict the future is to invent it.
Contemporaries of F. Sherwood Rowland
Other Chemistrys born within 50 years of F. Sherwood Rowland (1927–2012).