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Time names Einstein "Person of the Century"



One must avoid triumphalism, but I'm a little surprised that no one has
expressed pleasure that a physicist has been named Time's "Person
of the Century". Way too often (IMHO) scientists are portrayed
in movies & novels as the "mad scientist" bad guy. Way too often
(IMHO) science is portrayed as producing things that harm society.
It is nice for a change to take note of how science (and particularly
physics) has improved society.

Incidentally Time has a multiple choice quiz on Einstein in which
one question is "What did Einstein consider his greatest mistake?"
The "correct" answer is advocating development of the bomb, but
I thought he thought his greatest mistake was the cosmological
constant. Who is right, me or Time?

Cheers,
Bill Larson
Geneva, Switzerland