The United States, and other advanced nations, will someday be able to produce instruments of death so terrible the world will be in abject terror of itself and its ability to end civilization.... Such war-making weapons should be developed - but only for purposes of discovery and experimentation

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 foundations and individual donors whose priorities don't align with my organization's.

Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.

From his neck down a man is worth a couple of dollars a day, from his neck up he is worth anything that his brain can produce.

None of my inventions came by accident. I see a worthwhile need to be met and I make trial after trial until it comes. What it boils down to is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration.

Success is based on imagination plus ambition and the will to work.

Anything that won't sell, I don't want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and utility is success.