Barbara McClintock

I was always looking for the exceptions, the things that didn't fit the rules.

The genome is a dynamic entity, constantly evolving and responding to its environment.

It's not about being smart; it's about being observant and asking the right questions.

The genome is a remarkable system, full of surprises and unexpected mechanisms.

I had a deep respect for the organism, and I tried to listen to what it was telling me.

The genome is not a static blueprint, but a dynamic and interactive system that responds to its environment.

I was always fascinated by the unexpected, the things that didn't fit into neat categories.

The genome is a highly organized and regulated system, capable of remarkable feats of self-organization.

It's important to have a sense of wonder, to be amazed by the natural world.

The genome is a living, breathing entity, constantly adapting and evolving.

I never let the opinions of others deter me from pursuing what I believed to be true.

The genome is a complex and beautiful system, full of intricate mechanisms and elegant solutions.

I was just so interested in what I was doing I could hardly wait to get up in the morning and get at it. One of my friends, a geneticist, said I was a child, because only children can't wait to get up in the morning to get at what they want to do.

Over the years I have found that it is difficult if not impossible to bring to consciousness of another person the nature of his tacit assumptions when, by some special experiences, I have been made aware of them.

One must have the time to look, the patience to 'hear what the material has to say to you,' the openness to 'let it come to you.' Above all, one must have 'a feeling for the organism.'

A feeling for the organism is a feeling for the extraordinary order and complexity of the living cell, and for the subtlety of its responses.

I start with the seedling, and I don't want to leave it. I don't feel I really know the story if I don't watch the plant all the way along. So I know every plant in the field. I know them intimately, and I find it a great pleasure to know them.

The important thing is to develop the capacity to see one thing through the eyes of another.

When you know you're right, you don't care what others think. You know sooner or later it will come out in the wash.

I never thought of stopping, and I just hated sleeping. I can't imagine having a better life.