Richard Rhodes Quote
So Fermi said, Well . . . there is the remote possibility that neutrons may be emitted in the fission of uranium and then of course perhaps a chain reaction can be made. Rabi said, What do you mean by ‘remote possibility’? and Fermi said, Well, ten per cent. Rabi said, Ten per cent is not a remote possibility if it means that we may die of it. If I have pneumonia and the doctor tells me that there is a remote possibility that I might die, and it’s ten percent, I get excited about it.
Richard Rhodes
So Fermi said, Well . . . there is the remote possibility that neutrons may be emitted in the fission of uranium and then of course perhaps a chain reaction can be made. Rabi said, What do you mean by ‘remote possibility’? and Fermi said, Well, ten per cent. Rabi said, Ten per cent is not a remote possibility if it means that we may die of it. If I have pneumonia and the doctor tells me that there is a remote possibility that I might die, and it’s ten percent, I get excited about it.