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Home > Dictionary of Science Quotations > Scientist Names Index H > Harry Hammond Hess Quotes

Thumbnail of Harry Hammond Hess (source)
Harry Hammond Hess
(24 May 1906 - 25 Aug 1969)

American geologist.


Science Quotes by Harry Hammond Hess (1 quote)

I shall consider this paper an essay in geopoetry. In order not to travel any further into the realm of fantasy than is absolutely necessary I shall hold as closely as possibly to a uniformitarian approach; even so, at least one great catastrophe will be required early in the Earth's history.
— Harry Hammond Hess
'History of Ocean Basins', in A. E. J. Engel, H. L. James and B. F. Leonard (eds.), Petrologic Studies: A Volume to Honour F. Buddington (1962), 599-600.
Science quotes on:  |  Approach (112)  |  Catastrophe (35)  |  Consider (428)  |  Early (196)  |  Earth (1076)  |  Essay (27)  |  Fantasy (15)  |  Great (1610)  |  History (716)  |  Necessary (370)  |  Order (638)  |  Paper (192)  |  Plate Tectonics (22)  |  Possibly (111)  |  Realm (87)  |  Required (108)  |  Travel (125)  |  Uniformitarian (4)  |  Will (2350)



Quotes by others about Harry Hammond Hess (1)

It appears that the extremely important papers that trigger a revolution may not receive a proportionately large number of citations. The normal procedures of referencing are not used for folklore. A real scientific revolution, like any other revolution, is news. The Origin of Species sold out as fast as it could be printed and was denounced from the pulpit almost immediately. Sea-floor spreading has been explained, perhaps not well, in leading newspapers, magazines, books, and most recently in a color motion picture. When your elementary school children talk about something at dinner, you rarely continue to cite it.
'Citations in a Scientific Revolution', in R. Shagam et al., Studies in Earth and Space Sciences: A Memoir in Honor of Harry Hammond Hess (1972), 4.
Science quotes on:  |  Book (413)  |  Children (201)  |  Citation (4)  |  Cite (8)  |  Color (155)  |  Continue (179)  |  Denounce (6)  |  Elementary (98)  |  Explain (334)  |  Explanation (246)  |  Folklore (2)  |  Immediately (115)  |  Large (398)  |  Most (1728)  |  Motion (320)  |  New (1273)  |  News (36)  |  Number (710)  |  Origin (250)  |  Origin Of Species (42)  |  Other (2233)  |  Paper (192)  |  Picture (148)  |  Procedure (48)  |  Pulpit (2)  |  Receive (117)  |  Revolution (133)  |  School (227)  |  Scientific (955)  |  Scientific Revolution (13)  |  Sea (326)  |  Sea-Floor Spreading (2)  |  Something (718)  |  Species (435)  |  Trigger (6)


See also:
  • 24 May - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Hess's birth.

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
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