It was almost as incredible as if you fired a 15-inch shell at a piece of tissue paper and it came back and hit you.

[From uranium] there are present at least two distinct types of radiation one that is very readily absorbed, which will be termed for convenience the α radiation, and the other of a more penetrative character, which will be termed the β radiation.

All science is either physics or stamp collecting.

Never say, "I tried it once and it did not work."

An alleged scientific discovery has no merit unless it can be explained to a barmaid.

Don't let me catch anyone talking about the Universe in my department.

Gentlemen, now you will see that now you see nothing. And why you see nothing you will see presently.