In a spiral galaxy, the ratio of dark-to-light matter is about a factor of ten. That's probably a good number for the ratio of our ignorance-to-knowledge. We're out of kindergarten, but only in about third grade.
Vera RubinRead
Nobody ever told us all matter radiated. We just assumed it did.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the assumption that all matter emits radiation without prior explicit guidance on the subject.
Vera Rubin's quote emphasizes the often unchallenged assumptions we make about scientific concepts. It reflects a broader theme in science where certain insights or truths are understood or accepted not through direct instruction, but through exploration and reasoning, illustrating the nature of scientific discovery and the importance of questioning our existing beliefs.
Themes
MatterRadiationAssumptionsScienceDiscovery
In practice
Example use cases
In a science class discussing the properties of matter.
More from Vera Rubin
All quotes βWe need senators who have studied physics and representatives who understand ecology.
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There was just nothing as interesting in my life as watching the stars every night.
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I try to do my science in a moral way, and, I believe that, ideally, science should be looked upon as something that helps us understand our role in the universe.
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I had the usual friends who pointed out constellations of stars. But it really was watching the stars. It was getting some sense of the motion of the earth. I found it a remarkable thing.
Vera RubinRead
I think the question is, are there women and have there been women who want to do science and could be doing great science, but they never really got the opportunity?
Vera RubinRead
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