Rutherford's Greatness
_ If Ruthertford’s claim to immortality rested alone on his nuclear picture of the atom, and on the law of radioactive change, it would be assured. But there are other remarkable aspects about his greatness. He was a tireless and bril-* liant experimenter-truly a wizard in charming some tricky electrical devices. His disciplined imagination directed the experiments of a group of scientists of varied mental outlook. By such team work, results which far transcend those obtainable by any individual were achieved. Rutherford possessed the uncanny faculty tor "backing the right horse" among scientific postulates, and the courage to do so on what appeared to be slender evidence. The reason was that he could grasp the significance of experimental results as few others could. His mistakes were so rare as to be quite exceptional, At the turn of last century Lord Kelvin was the Grand Old Man of science. He disagreed with Rutherford’s rather revolutionary view regarding the energy in atoms. Lord Rayleigh, with some lack of proper respect and deference, asked Kelvin if he would care to bet that within-six months he would admit that Rutherford was right. Within the allotted period Kelvin handsomely admitted his mistake, and quietly handed over the 5/- he owed to Rayleigh.-(Dr. C. M. Focken, "Lord Rutherford’s Influence on Science," 4YA, August 6).
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 61, 23 August 1940, Page 6
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219Rutherford's Greatness New Zealand Listener, Volume 3, Issue 61, 23 August 1940, Page 6
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