If Watson and I had not discovered the [DNA] structure, instead of being revealed with a flourish it would have trickled out and that its impact would have been far less. For this sort of reason Stent had argued that a scientific discovery is more akin to a work of art than is generally admitted. Style, he argues, is as important as content. I am not completely convinced by this argument, at least in this case.

You can do reverse engineering, but you can’t do reverse hacking.

Christianity may be OK between consenting adults in private but should not be taught to young children.

A theory should not attempt to explain all the facts, because some of the facts are wrong

You’re nothing but a pack of neurons.

In my experience most mathematicians are intellectually lazy.

Our ... advantage was that we had evolved unstated but fruitful methods of collaboration ... If either of us suggested a new idea, the other, while taking it seriously, would attempt to demolish it in a candid but non-hostile manner.