5 Quotes & Sayings By John Desmond Bernal

Born in 1893, Bernal was one of the most influential scientists of the twentieth century. He was the first to propose that DNA is the genetic material, and that proteins are made of amino acid chains. He is also known for proposing what has become known as the "Central Dogma," which states that all contemporary biological systems are built upon four fundamental principles: (i) self-reproduction; (ii) replication; (iii) transmission of hereditary information; and (iv) control by external environmental factors.

1
As the scene of life would be more the cold emptiness of space than the warm, dense atmosphere of planets, the advantage of containing no organic material at all, so as to be independent of both these conditions, would be increasingly felt. John Desmond Bernal
2
The recognition of the art that informs all pure science need not mean the abandonment for it of all present art, rather it will mean the completion of the transformation of art that has already begun. John Desmond Bernal
3
We shall be forced to attempt planned and directed research employing hundreds of workers for many years, and this cannot be done without risking the loss of independence and originality. This is a serious and fundamental obstacle but it may be overcome in two ways. John Desmond Bernal
4
The human mind evolved always in the company of the human body, and of the animal body before it was human. The intricate connections of mind and body must exceed our imagination, as from our point of view we are peculiarly prevented from observing them. John Desmond Bernal