Science progresses best when observations force us to alter our preconceptions. Vera Rubin More Quotes by Vera Rubin More Quotes From Vera Rubin In a spiral galaxy, the ratio of dark-to-light matter is about a factor of ten. That's probably a good number for the ratio of our ignorance-to-knowledge. We're out of kindergarten, but only in about third grade. Vera Rubin ignorance dark knowledge Science is competitive, aggressive, demanding. It is also imaginative, inspiring, uplifting. Vera Rubin demand uplifting science We became astronomers thinking we were studying the universe, and now we learn that we are just studying the 5 or 10 percent that is luminous. Vera Rubin astronomers study thinking Does Sex Matter? Of course it does. But does it matter enough to Matter? That's a different question. Vera Rubin different doe sex No observational problem will not be solved by more data. Vera Rubin data problem I guess to me religion is a kind of moral code. Vera Rubin moral-code moral kind Three of my children married Jewish people. One did not and that marriage didn't last more than half a dozen years or so. The others are still very close. Vera Rubin children people years I decided I needed to give up something, so I gave up teaching. Vera Rubin gave-up giving-up teaching Religion is not the most important thing. Vera Rubin important-things important It's certainly true that most of my close friends are Jewish. Vera Rubin close-friends There was just nothing as interesting in my life as watching the stars every night. Vera Rubin my-life stars night life The real prize is finding something new out there. Vera Rubin finding new something real I would prefer to stay up and watch the stars than sleep. Vera Rubin stay up stars sleep We all need permission to do science, but for reasons that are deeply ingrained in history, this permission is more often given to men than to women. Vera Rubin women men science history The conclusion is inescapable that non-luminous matter exists beyond the optical galaxy. Vera Rubin beyond conclusion galaxy matter I had the usual friends who pointed out constellations of stars. But it really was watching the stars. It was getting some sense of the motion of the earth. I found it a remarkable thing. Vera Rubin watching friends stars earth We know very little about the universe. I personally don't believe it's uniform and the same everywhere. That's like saying the earth is flat. Vera Rubin uniform saying universe believe We need senators who have studied physics and representatives who understand ecology. Vera Rubin need who understand physics My father was an electrical engineer. He's presently 92 and still could be holding down a job. He had a very analytical way of looking at things, and I enjoyed that very much. I think that was a very large influence. Vera Rubin looking job think father My childhood bedroom - if childhood could be about ten years old - had a bed which was under windows which faced north. At about age 10, I started watching the stars just move through the night. Vera Rubin childhood stars age night
