thedolcelife said:

I once met Arno Penzias (co-discoverer of the Cosmic Microwave Background and nobel prize winner). It was a dinner/talk with about 16 people, plenty of time for a presentation of his discovery for the uneducated. I asked him if he had had that moment of excitement when he realized he knew something no other human knew. He said, not really, he was more concerned about finding theoretical cover for the explanation on the chance they were wrong.

It became apparent that this nobel winner was a smart and thorough engineer/scientist, but I wasn't impressed.

His subsequent discussion about his current work as a green energy consultant left me disappointed. Not due to his opinions, but his knowledge and willingness to be challenged. My wife (decidedly not a scientist) ran circles around him based upon her knowledge from The Wall Street Journal.

On the other hand, I once sat in on a lecture with Herb Simon. That man was a true genius.

Lyndon said:

No one gave me a Nobel prize!!!