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John Pringle Nichol
(13 Jan 1804 - 19 Sep 1859)
Scottish astronomer and author whose practical work was accompanied by his eminent activities as a public lecturer and author popularizing astronomy and other science.
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Science Quotes by John Pringle Nichol (1 quote)
The entire annals of Observation probably do not elsewhere exhibit so extraordinary a verification of any theoretical conjecture adventured on by the human spirit!
[On the mathematical work by Urbain Le Verrier predicting the planet Neptune.]
[On the mathematical work by Urbain Le Verrier predicting the planet Neptune.]
— John Pringle Nichol
In The Planet Neptune: An Exposition and History (1848), 90. The verification of the existence of the planet Neptune was made when Johan Galle found a star in an evening observation at the position predicted in the letter he received from Le Verrier earlier that same day.
See also:
- 13 Jan - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Nichol's birth.
- Large color picture of John Pringle Nichol - head and shoulders (500 x 700 px).
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) -- 
