“Most of the time I've worked in labs if I didn't encounter something in a week entirely unexpected and surprising I'd consider it a lost week. Lots of that is due to mistakes and stupidity, but it could open a new line of inquiry. Something really good turns up once in a hundred times, but it makes the whole day worthwhile.”

American physician, biologist and essayist

Lewis Thomas was an American physician, biologist, essayist, poet, and administrator. He lived from 1913 to 1993, and is best known for his thoughtful writing on science, medicine, and language. He was a longtime contributor to The New England Journal of Medicine, and his essays were gathered in several books. For The Lives of a Cell, he received the National Book Award in Arts and Letters and The Sciences. His work often moves between scientific observation and a broader reflection on how people understand the natural world.