404 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1949 
Einstein as early as 1905 as part of his theory of relativity; several 
decades of study of cosmic rays; 50 years’ development of electronics; 
the whole modern art of chemical separation; the science of radiology 
whose impetus had come from medical applications of X-rays and 
the rays from radium; the most modern refinements of metallurgy, 
of chemical and electrical engineering. And the practical consum- 
mation of the atomic-energy objectives has called upon the highest 
skills of engineering design and instrumentation. It is truly an 
exciting picture! 
I might have described many other scientific achievements of our 
century, such as the synthesis of complicated organic chemicals; the 
developments in aerodynamics or those like radio, radar, and tele- 
vision in the field of communications; the exciting new discoveries of 
hormones and their influence on physiological and emotional processes 
in animals and man; or the growth of the automobile industry which 
has so profoundly influenced our personal lives and our business 
operations. But I elected to dwell at length on this story of atom- 
ic energy for several reasons. It is the most striking scientific and 
technological development of our century; it best illustrates the 
methods of scientific discovery and its practical application; from it 
can be drawn many lessons, some of which I would mention. 
The first lesson is the cooperative character of scientific progress, 
depending on the stimulating interplay of ideas and the accumulation 
of facts and skills contributed by many scientists. In my survey of 
nuclear science progress I mentioned only some of the most significant 
steps in the progress, but back of it all and filling in the gaps was the 
work of some thousands of other research workers. 
A second lesson is the unpredictable and uncontrollable origin of 
the new ideas and discoveries which produce scientific progress. It 
was to emphasize this point that I mentioned the origins of the major 
discoveries which led up to the atomic-energy program. Many 
scientists from many parts of the world contributed the building 
blocks which, piled each on the ones below, completed the structure. 
The fact that it was done so quickly is explained by the quick and free 
channels of communication, often supplemented by personal acquain- 
tance, which have traditionally characterized the scientific fraternity 
the world over. It is more than tragic that any nation should seek 
to restrain the great flow of knowledge across the world or, within 
national boundaries, should seek to direct its course or make it sub- 
servient to the current politics of the state. That such a policy will 
ultimately stifle the birth and development of significant ideas is 
scarcely open to dispute. For nowhere more than in science is 
Donne’s statement true ‘“‘that each is a part of the maine,” and the 
killing off of scientific ideas in one area impoverishes the world. 
