Walter Gilbert

"Everyone wants a hand in the outcome, a piece of the knowledge."

"I have the same sense of the power and virtue of knowledge that some people get from a religious background."

"Early on, it's good to develop the ability to write. Learning to write is a useful exercise, even if what you're writing about is not that relevant."

"The virtues of science are skepticism and independence of thought."

"Science doesn't in the slightest depend on trust. It depends completely on the belief that you can demonstrate something for yourself."

"It's easier to change what you do than people think it is. If you don't change, your field changes around you."