If, as I have reason to believe, I have disintegrated the nucleus of the atom, this is of greater significance than the war.

I congratulate you both on a fine piece of work which I am sure will ultimately prove of importance. I am personally very much interested in your results... In the past I have tried a number of experiments... but without any success.

Gentlemen, we have run out of money. It is time to start thinking.

[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.

I must confess it was very unexpected and I am very startled at my metamorphosis into a chemist.

I've just finished reading some of my early papers, and you know, when I'd finished I said to myself, 'Rutherford, my boy, you used to be a damned clever fellow.' (1911)

The more physics you have the less engineering you need.