The rapid changes in Isaac Newton’s life and career naturally became a topic of gossip among his contemporaries. A comedic character in a contemporary play once remarked: Who doesn’t know the great name of Sir Isaac! Coiner! Truly magnificent!…
Regrettable Mistakes of Some Great Minds in Scientific Research
Isaac Newton’s Departure from Scientific Research
Despite his monumental achievements in scientific research, Newton constantly faced economic difficulties. In 1692, attracted by the allure of material wealth, Newton decided to abandon the arduous path of scientific research in search of a higher-paying job.
News of his job search spread, leading many to recommend positions for him. The first was as the headmaster of a public school in London, but he declined due to inadequate salary. Next, he was offered the position of director of the Royal Mint with a very favorable compensation package. Newton accepted and moved to London.
From then on, he immersed himself in his work at the mint. His efforts were highly valued by the royal family, leading to his appointment as Master of the Mint. This position provided Newton with an annual income of up to £2,000, a substantial amount at that time, especially considering that the construction budget for the London Observatory was only £500.
The new job kept him busy, resulting in a lack of time to continue his teaching and research at Cambridge University. By 1701, he reluctantly resigned from his university professorship. This marked a significant change in the latter half of his life: from poverty to wealth, from a quiet scholar in academia to a relatively influential figure in London’s political scene, forging closer ties with the royal family.
The rapid changes in Newton’s life and career naturally became a topic of gossip among his contemporaries. A comedic character in a contemporary play remarked: Who doesn’t know the great name of Sir Isaac! Coiner! Truly magnificent!
Albert Einstein’s Rejection
Among Einstein’s many significant scientific achievements, the most important are the theory of relativity and the development of quantum theory as proposed by Max Planck.
However, what is most regrettable is that although Einstein was the first great scientist to support and develop quantum theory in its early days, he later changed his stance. As a result, while many scientists under his guidance delved into this field and made numerous breakthroughs, Einstein, on the contrary, began to oppose quantum mechanics starting in 1925, becoming a stubborn opponent of quantum theory.
In 1927, German physicist Werner Heisenberg, building upon the accomplishments of many scientists in quantum mechanics, discovered the “Uncertainty Principle,” reflecting the dual nature of quantum wave particles. This principle stated that for a microscopic particle, if you want to accurately determine its position, you cannot accurately determine its velocity, and vice versa. This became an important theoretical basis for later understanding of microscopic particles.
Yet Einstein rejected this principle, claiming that quantum mechanics lacked a theoretical foundation and was merely an incomplete random hypothesis. Not only did he criticize quantum theory, but he also effectively ceased research in the field, focusing entirely on relativity. Consequently, Einstein produced no further results in quantum mechanics. This mistake led to a regrettable decline. Many at the time viewed this as a tragedy, as it meant that Einstein struggled onward in solitude while humanity lost a banner and a leader in science.
The Conservatism of Mendeleev
The periodic law of chemical elements proposed by Mendeleev was a revolutionary discovery in chemistry. He later intended to continue researching to clarify the reasons behind the periodic changes in the properties of elements according to atomic weight.
However, he could not escape the influence of traditional beliefs—elements cannot change or be divided. Thus, by the end of the 19th century, when the existence of radioactive elements and electrons was discovered, providing new experimental evidence showing the transformation from quantity to quality of atoms, Mendeleev failed to utilize these new findings to further develop his periodic law. Instead, he vehemently denied the complexity of atoms and the objective existence of electrons.
The discovery of radioactive elements clearly demonstrated that elements could change, yet he stated: “We should not trust the complex properties of the simple substances we know.”
He further declared: “The concept of an unchanging element is extremely important; it is the foundation of the entire worldview.” Nevertheless, based on the great discoveries of radioactive elements and electrons, scientists gradually elucidated the nature of the periodic law of chemical elements.
They relied on the reasonable content of Mendeleev’s periodic law to propose a new, more scientifically sound periodic law than his theory. This new law indicated that the elements in the periodic table were arranged according to atomic valence, where as atomic number increased, so did atomic valence and the number of neutrons. The valence number and the number of neutrons combined to reflect the increase in atomic weight.
However, practical evidence showed that not every element corresponds to a unique type of atom. Within one element, there are isotopes containing different numbers of neutrons. The atomic weight of an element is the average of its isotopes. The valence here refers to the number of electrons outside the atomic nucleus, which is also the charge of the atomic nucleus, or the atomic number. This resolved issues that Mendeleev had left open. His conservatism caused a great scientist like Mendeleev to regress in exploring the mysteries of the periodic law, losing the opportunity to develop this law further.
