Posted by ariii | Posted in controversy, education, great people | Posted on 07-10-2011
All the atoms are grouped in crystals (which are symmetrical – ordered and periodic). Or are they? According to a discovery from 1982, some atoms can be grouped into a quasi-crystal structure (which is ordered but not periodic. Much like a mosaic, the patterns do not exactly repeat themselves). At the time, the configuration found in these quasi-crystals was considered impossible because regular patterns were considered essential for a crystal solid to form.
For this discovery, Dr Schechtman suffered the disapproval and mockery from his fellow chemist scientists. Among them, Linus Pauling (a great scientist that was 2 times Nobel laureate), said: “There is no such thing as quasi-crystals, only quasi-scientists”. Dr. Schechtman was also kicked out from the research group he was in. But he was not going to let himself defeated by the prejudices of his fellow scientists (yes, not even they are free of prejudice). He continued to bring evidence that the atoms in his crystals were packed in a pattern that could not be repeated. And this brought him the Nobel Prize for chemistry this year. The man fought for what he believed in, despite all others and at the end he won.
One of the greatest visionary people of our time (SJ – rip) once said: “… don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice”. Life is too short to stay within other people’s limits. Unfortunately few of us can break them and “dent the Universe”. But those who can break the barriers of prejudice and limits of society and dogma are the ones destined to do big things (positive or negative) and put a pin into the Universe sheet, changing it forever. This effects evolution in the end.
As of myself, I rebel sometimes (more often lately), but only within a safe perimeter (for now). It’s cozy, it’s quiet, it’s without responsibilities, it’s invisible…
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