Geography is just physics slowed down, with a couple of trees stuck in it.
—Terry Pratchett, 2008
As a young man, my fondest dream was to become a geographer. However… I thought
deeply about the matter and concluded that it was far too difficult a subject. With some
reluctance, I then turned to physics as a substitute.
—Duane Francis Marble
9
Geology is the music of the earth.
—Hans Cloos, 1954
We learn geology the morning after the earthquake.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1860
A geologist is a fault finder.
—Bob Phillips, 2010
Continental drift was guilty until proven innocent.
—David M. Raup, 1986
***
Statistics: The only science that enables different experts using the same figures to draw
different conclusions.
—Evan Esar, 1943
Politicians use statistics in the same way that a drunk uses lampposts – for support rather
than illumination.
—Andrew Lang, 1910
Smoking is one of the leading causes of statistics.
—Fletcher Knebel, 1965
Average a left-hander with a right-hander, and what do you get?
10
—Don Norman, 1988
91.7% of all statistics is done on spot, including this number.
—Anonymous
There are three kind of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.
—Anonymous
11
9
Posted (in the 1960s) on his office door, signed Albert Einstein, as a joke, provoking quite a few
misattributions.
10
Cf. the Ehrenfest theorem in quantum mechanics, infamous for its lack of insight into many key
quantum effects including entanglement.
11
Misattributed to many, including Benjamin Disraeli and Mark Twain.
On Sciences and Technologies
45
—Terry Pratchett, 2008
As a young man, my fondest dream was to become a geographer. However… I thought
deeply about the matter and concluded that it was far too difficult a subject. With some
reluctance, I then turned to physics as a substitute.
—Duane Francis Marble
9
Geology is the music of the earth.
—Hans Cloos, 1954
We learn geology the morning after the earthquake.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1860
A geologist is a fault finder.
—Bob Phillips, 2010
Continental drift was guilty until proven innocent.
—David M. Raup, 1986
***
Statistics: The only science that enables different experts using the same figures to draw
different conclusions.
—Evan Esar, 1943
Politicians use statistics in the same way that a drunk uses lampposts – for support rather
than illumination.
—Andrew Lang, 1910
Smoking is one of the leading causes of statistics.
—Fletcher Knebel, 1965
Average a left-hander with a right-hander, and what do you get?
10
—Don Norman, 1988
91.7% of all statistics is done on spot, including this number.
—Anonymous
There are three kind of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.
—Anonymous
11
9
Posted (in the 1960s) on his office door, signed Albert Einstein, as a joke, provoking quite a few
misattributions.
10
Cf. the Ehrenfest theorem in quantum mechanics, infamous for its lack of insight into many key
quantum effects including entanglement.
11
Misattributed to many, including Benjamin Disraeli and Mark Twain.
On Sciences and Technologies
45