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From: bls@Eng.Sun.COM (Brian Scearce)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban
Subject: Re: Great Moments in Science
Date: 14 Jun 1994 14:48:00 GMT

hsm@unislc.slc.unisys.com (Helge Moulding) writes: > NY Times editorial that declared that space flight was impossible since
> there was no air out there for the rocket engine to push against.
> (date?)

"That Professor Goddard with his 'chair' at Clark College and the countenancing of the Smithsonian Institution does not know the relation of action and reaction, and the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react -- to say that would be absurd. Of course, he only seems to lack the knowledge ladled out daily in high schools."

• New York Times editorial, 1921

> Common belief (or is this a UL?) that cars couldn't go faster than 45
> mph, as the human body couldn't withstand greater velocities... (didn't
> trains already go faster than this???)

"Rail travel at high speed is not possible becaus passengers, unable to breathe, would die of asphyxia."

• Dr. Dionysus Lardner (1793-1859)

  Professor of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy at University College, London

> The report to Congress (?) that called for the patent office to be
> closed since everything that could be invented already had been
> invented.

"Everything that can be invented has been invented."

• Charles H. Duell

  (Commissioner of US Office of Patents), urging President William McKinley to abolish his office, 1899.

These are all from _The Experts Speak_ (ISBN 0-394-71334-6). The book does not belong on the top shelf of the knowing AFUer's library due to its habit of citing secondary sources, rather than doing the research and finding primary sources. The book is occasionally useful nonetheless.

--

Brian Scearce                                     bls@sector7g.eng.sun.com
          The above does not necessarily represent Sun policy.

It's not Beavis & Butthead's fault their viewers are as stupid as they are.