Enrico Fermi (1901–1954) was an Italian physicist renowned for his contributions to theoretical and experimental physics, notably in nuclear and particle physics. He played a pivotal role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project. Fermi’s name is associated with the creation of the first nuclear reactor, the Chicago Pile-1, in 1942, demonstrating controlled nuclear fission’s feasibility and laying the foundation for nuclear power. He made significant contributions to quantum theory, statistical mechanics, and particle physics, formulating the theory of beta decay and introducing Fermi-Dirac statistics. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1938 for his work on induced radioactivity and neutron-induced nuclear reactions, Fermi’s research continues to impact physics and engineering, particularly in nuclear energy and particle physics, shaping our understanding of the fundamental forces governing the universe.

Enrico Fermi Quotes

1. “Before I came here I was confused about this subject. Having listened to your lecture I am still confused. But on a higher level.”
— Enrico Fermi

2. “There are two possible outcomes: if the result confirms the hypothesis, then you’ve made a measurement. If the result is contrary to the hypothesis, then you’ve made a discovery.”
— Enrico Fermi

3. “I hope it won’t take long.”
— Enrico Fermi

4. “Never underestimate the joy people derive from hearing something they already know.”
— Enrico Fermi

5. “Whatever Nature has in store for mankind, unpleasant as it may be, men must accept, for ignorance is never better than knowledge.”
— Enrico Fermi

6. “Where is everybody? Humans could theoretically colonize the galaxy in a million years or so, and if they could, astronauts from older civilizations could do the same. So why haven’t they come to Earth?”
— Enrico Fermi

7. “I remember my friend Johnny von Neumann used to say, ‘with four parameters I can fit an elephant and with five I can make him wiggle his trunk.’”
— Enrico Fermi

8. “Young man, if I could remember the names of these particles, I would have been a botanist.”
— Enrico Fermi

9. “An experiment disproving a prediction is discovery.”
— Enrico Fermi

10. “It is not good to try to stop knowledge from going forward. Ignorance is never better than knowledge.”
— Enrico Fermi

11. “Experimental confirmation of a prediction is merely a measurement. An experiment disproving a prediction is a discovery.”
— Enrico Fermi

12. “It does not say in the Bible that all laws of nature are expressible linearly!”
— Enrico Fermi

13. “When asked what he meant by a miracle: Oh, anything with a probability of less than 20%.”
— Enrico Fermi

14. “Ignorance is never better than knowledge.”
— Enrico Fermi

15. “The fundamental point in fabricating a chain reacting machine is of course to see to it that each fission produces a certain number of neutrons and some of these neutrons will again produce fission.”
— Enrico Fermi