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
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the idea of finding deeper meaning in simple observations of nature, particularly in understanding the universe.
Vera Rubin expresses a profound appreciation for the experience of observing stars, emphasizing that true understanding goes beyond just identifying constellations. It highlights the connection between observing celestial bodies and recognizing the dynamic nature of our world, showcasing how such experiences can evoke a sense of wonder and clarity about our place in the universe.
Themes
StarsNatureUniverseObservationMotion
In practice
Example use cases
During a stargazing event, I shared this quote to inspire others to reflect on their own experiences with nature.
More from Vera Rubin
All quotes →We need senators who have studied physics and representatives who understand ecology.
Vera RubinRead
Nobody ever told us all matter radiated. We just assumed it did.
Vera RubinRead
There was just nothing as interesting in my life as watching the stars every night.
Vera RubinRead
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.
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
Similar quotes
The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.
Galileo GalileiRead
[About reading Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, age 14, in the back seat of his parents' sedan. I almost threw up. I got physically ill when I learned that ospreys and peregrine falcons weren't raising chicks because of what people were spraying on bugs at their farms and lawns. This was the first time I learned that humans could impact the environment with chemicals. [That a corporation would create a product that didn't operate as advertised] was shocking in a way we weren't inured to.
Carl SafinaRead
All creatures must learn to coexist. That's why the brown bear and the field mouse can share their lives in harmony. Of course, they can't mate or the mice would explode.
Betty WhiteRead
Saving Greenland is both a metaphor and a precondition for saving civilization. If its ice sheet melts, sea levels will rise 23 feet. Hundreds of coastal cities will be abandoned. The rice growing river deltas of Asia will be under water. There will be hundreds of millions of rising-sea refuges. The word that comes to mind is chaos. If we cannot mobilize to save the Greenland ice sheet; we probably cannot save civilization as we know it.
Lester R. BrownRead
As full of spirit as the month of May, and as gorgeous as the sun in Midsummer.
William ShakespeareRead
The Animals of the planet are in desperate peril and they are fully aware of this. No less than human beings are doing in all parts of the world, they are seeking sanctuary.
Alice WalkerRead