Quote by: Ernest Rutherford

I came into the room, which was half dark, and presently spotted Lord in the audience and realised that I was in for trouble at the last part of my speech dealing with the age of the earth, where my views conflicted with his. To my relief, fell fast asleep, but as I came to the important point, I saw the old bird sit up, open an eye and cock a baleful glance at me! Then a sudden inspiration came, and I said Lord had limited the age of the earth, provided no new source (of energy) was discovered. That prophetic utterance refers to what we are now considering tonight, radium! Behold! the old boy beamed upon me.


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Author Bio


  • NameErnest Rutherford
  • DescriptionNew Zealand-born British chemist and physicist
  • AliasesErnest Rutherford, 1st Baron Rutherford of Nelson
  • BornAugust 30, 1871
  • DiedOctober 19, 1937
  • CountryNew Zealand; United Kingdom
  • ProfessionNuclear Scientist; Chemist; Physicist
  • AwardsHector Memorial Medal; Nobel Prize In Chemistry; Matteucci Medal; Copley Medal; Franklin Medal; Elliott Cresson Medal; Fellow Of The Royal Society; Faraday Lectureship Prize