Frits Zernike Quote

How quick are we to learn, that is, to imitate what others have done or thought before. And how slow to understand, that is, to see the deeper connections. Slowest of all, however, are we in inventing new connections or even applying old ideas in a new field.

in his Nobel lecture, December 11, 1953.

Frits Zernike - Nobel Lecture: How I Discovered Phase Contrast