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Home > Dictionary of Science Quotations > Scientist Names Index S > Marjory Stephenson Quotes

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Marjory Stephenson
(24 Jan 1885 - 12 Dec 1948)

English biochemist.

Science Quotes by Marjory Stephenson (4 quotes)

[In research on bacteria metabolism] we have indeed much the same position as an observer trying to gain an idea of the life of a household by careful scrutiny of the persons and material arriving or leaving the house; we keep accurate records of the foods and commodities left at the door and patiently examine the contents of the dust-bin and endeavour to deduce from such data the events occurring within the closed doors.
— Marjory Stephenson
Bacterial Metabolism (1930), Preface. In 'Obituary Notice: Marjory Stephenson, 1885–1948', Biochemistry Journal (1950), 46:4, 380.
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In trying to evaluate Hopkins' unique contribution to biochemistry it may perhaps be said that he alone amongst his contemporaries succeeded in formulating the subject. Among others whose several achievements in their own fields may have surpassed his, no one has ever attempted to unify and correlate biochemical knowledge so as to form a comprehensible picture of the cell and its relation to life, reproduction and function.
— Marjory Stephenson
'Sir F. G. Hopkins' Teaching and Scientific Influence'. In J. Needham and E. Baldwin (eds.), Hopkins and Biochemistry, 1861-1947 (1949), 36.
Science quotes on:  |  Achievement (187)  |  Alone (324)  |  Attempt (266)  |  Biochemistry (50)  |  Biography (254)  |  Cell (146)  |  Contribution (93)  |  Field (378)  |  Form (976)  |  Function (235)  |  Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins (11)  |  Knowledge (1647)  |  Life (1870)  |  Other (2233)  |  Picture (148)  |  Reproduction (74)  |  Subject (543)  |  Succeed (114)  |  Surpass (33)  |  Trying (144)  |  Unify (7)  |  Unique (72)

It seems now clear that a belief in the functional importance of all enzymes found in bacteria is possible only to those richly endowed with Faith.
— Marjory Stephenson
In J. Needham (ed.) and D.E. Green (ed.), Perspectives in Biochemistry (1937). Quoted in 'Obituary Notice: Marjory Stephenson, 1885–1948', Biochemistry Journal (1950), 46:4, 383.
Science quotes on:  |  Bacteria (50)  |  Belief (615)  |  Endowed (52)  |  Enzyme (19)  |  Faith (209)  |  Importance (299)  |  Possible (560)

Perhaps bacteria may tentatively be regarded as biochemical experiments; owing to their relatively small size and rapid growth, variations must arise much more frequently than in more differentiated forms of life, and they can in addition afford to occupy more precarious positions in natural economy than larger organisms with more exacting requirements.
— Marjory Stephenson
Bacterial Metabolism (1930). In 'Obituary Notice: Marjory Stephenson, 1885–1948', Biochemistry Journal (1950), 46:4, 377.
Science quotes on:  |  Addition (70)  |  Arise (162)  |  Bacteria (50)  |  Exacting (4)  |  Experiment (736)  |  Form (976)  |  Growth (200)  |  Life (1870)  |  More (2558)  |  Must (1525)  |  Natural (810)  |  Organism (231)  |  Owing (39)  |  Regard (312)  |  Requirement (66)  |  Small (489)  |  Variation (93)


Carl Sagan Thumbnail In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion. (1987) -- Carl Sagan
Quotations by:Albert EinsteinIsaac NewtonLord KelvinCharles DarwinSrinivasa RamanujanCarl SaganFlorence NightingaleThomas EdisonAristotleMarie CurieBenjamin FranklinWinston ChurchillGalileo GalileiSigmund FreudRobert BunsenLouis PasteurTheodore RooseveltAbraham LincolnRonald ReaganLeonardo DaVinciMichio KakuKarl PopperJohann GoetheRobert OppenheimerCharles Kettering  ... (more people)

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