--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Real breakthroughs are not found because…" description: "\"Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how the world is.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/anton-zeilinger-56072_breakthrough_real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because_2537.jpg" --- # Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to… ![“Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how the world is.” quote by Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/anton-zeilinger-56072_breakthrough_real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because_2537.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/anton-zeilinger-56072_breakthrough_real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because_2537.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/anton-zeilinger-56072_breakthrough_real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because_2537.jpg) > “Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how the world is.” [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scientific progress stems from intrinsic curiosity about natural laws, not from a goal‑oriented push for new gadgets. **In simple terms:** Curiosity drives discovery. Key Takeaway Explore for its own sake. Themes curiosity fundamental research innovation scientific method exploration Mood inquisitive inspired Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - academic research - basic science labs Key Concepts knowledge pursuit world understanding Practical Applications - fundamental experiments - theoretical modeling Questions to Reflect On - What questions keep you motivated beyond practical outcomes? - How does curiosity reshape problem framing? A Different Perspective Commercial incentives can skew research toward short‑term gains. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breakthrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough/) [Breakthroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthroughs/) [Breakthroughs Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthroughs-want-264568/) [Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [New technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-technology/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real Breakthroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-breakthroughs-264569/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Technology Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology-curious-264570/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [When you realize that the real breakthroughs come from levels of higher consciousness, then you also realize that the achievement of maturity and wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/when-you-realize-that-the-real-breakthroughs-come-from-levels-of/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“Here was a guy who had taken much of the Silicon Valley ethic behind moving quickly and running organizations free of bureaucratic hierarchies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/here-was-a-guy-who-had-taken-much-of-the-silicon-valley-ethic-behind/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [In the long run, curiosity-driven research just works better... Real breakthroughs come from people focusing on what they're excited about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-hinton/in-the-long-run-curiosity-driven-research-just-works-better-real/) [Geoffrey Hinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-hinton/) > [“Father God, we thank you for your grace and your mercy, for allowing us to be together under your covenant and God we thank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/father-god-we-thank-you-for-your-grace-and-your-mercy-for-allowing-us/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [One of the great breakthroughs of evolution theory is that you start with simple things and they will grow into complexity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/one-of-the-great-breakthroughs-of-evolution-theory-is-that-you-start/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [From the theft of confidential cables to 21st century protest movements, to development breakthroughs that have the potential to change millions of lives, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/from-the-theft-of-confidential-cables-to-21st-century-protest/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [My fascination is broadly with biology and the fact that our increased understanding of biology allows for breakthroughs in a broad set of diseases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/my-fascination-is-broadly-with-biology-and-the-fact-that-our/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Psychological breakdowns are actually breakthroughs to enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/psychological-breakdowns-are-actually-breakthroughs-to-enlightenment/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [Maybe it's wrong when we remember breakthroughs to our own being as something that occurs in discrete, extraordinary moments. Maybe falling in love, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-eg/maybe-it-s-wrong-when-we-remember-breakthroughs-to-our-own-being-as/) [Peter Høeg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-eg/) > [There are riches to be found simply by capturing the value released through others' disruptive breakthroughs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-samit/there-are-riches-to-be-found-simply-by-capturing-the-value-released/) [Jay Samit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-samit/) > [“Breakdowns create breakthroughs. Breakthroughs create more breakthroughs. More breakthroughs create friction because idiots be jealous or don’t get it or protect their little corner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie-norton/breakdowns-create-breakthroughs-breakthroughs-create-more/) [Richie Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie-norton/) > [Big breakthroughs happen when what is suddenly possible meets what is desperately needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/big-breakthroughs-happen-when-what-is-suddenly-possible-meets-what-is/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [There are no drive-thru breakthroughs. Breakthroughs take time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/there-are-no-drive-thru-breakthroughs-breakthroughs-take-time/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [We can be creative and generate new breakthroughs, if we're willing to work with ideas from the pool of history - both distant and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-dawson/we-can-be-creative-and-generate-new-breakthroughs-if-we-re-willing-to/) [Doug Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-dawson/) > [Historic changes and challenges. Breakthroughs in human knowledge and opportunity. And yet, for vast numbers across the globe, the daily realities have not altered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/historic-changes-and-challenges-breakthroughs-in-human-knowledge-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Anton Zeilinger > [ Maybe knowledge is as fundamental, or even more fundamental than \[material\] reality. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/maybe-knowledge-is-as-fundamental-or-even-more-fundamental-than/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [It was easy in the early nineties to make a list of great things that could be done, now that there was such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/it-was-easy-in-the-early-nineties-to-make-a-list-of-great-things-that/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [I think there is a need for something completely new. Something that is too different, too unexpected, to be accepted as yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/i-think-there-is-a-need-for-something-completely-new-something-that/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [We have to give up the idea of realism to a far greater extent than most physicists believe today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/we-have-to-give-up-the-idea-of-realism-to-a-far-greater-extent-than/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [“I believe in the future of humankind. As long as there are children, as long as there are people who look up at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/i-believe-in-the-future-of-humankind-as-long-as-there-are-children-as/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) [Explore all 6 Anton Zeilinger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) ## More Breakthrough quotes > [The hardware and the software used in the Breakthrough project will be compatible with other telescopes around the world, so they too can search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/the-hardware-and-the-software-used-in-the-breakthrough-project-will/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [Just like the breakthroughs, the bad stuff always takes you by surprise. (121)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-giles/just-like-the-breakthroughs-the-bad-stuff-always-takes-you-by/) [Gail Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-giles/) > [There are just moments when all the stars are aligned for breakthrough products.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/there-are-just-moments-when-all-the-stars-are-aligned-for/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [The founder of any branch must be more ingenious than the common man. However, if his achievement is not carried on by disciples of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/the-founder-of-any-branch-must-be-more-ingenious-than-the-common-man/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [Brokenness is often the road to breakthrough. Hang in there. Your time is coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/brokenness-is-often-the-road-to-breakthrough-hang-in-there-your-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Historic changes and challenges. Breakthroughs in human knowledge and opportunity. And yet, for vast numbers across the globe, the daily realities have not altered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/historic-changes-and-challenges-breakthroughs-in-human-knowledge-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Obama is hardly the first president to seek rapprochement with our adversaries and reconciliation with our enemies, of course. But his determination to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-f-hayes/obama-is-hardly-the-first-president-to-seek-rapprochement-with-our/) [Stephen F. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-f-hayes/) > [... when things get rough, a breakthrough is just on the other side of the pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is-just-on-the-other-side-of-the/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Tonight, after a breakthrough year for America, our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/tonight-after-a-breakthrough-year-for-america-our-economy-is-growing/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Opposition is just proof that you're close to a major breakthrough keepgoing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rev-run-2/opposition-is-just-proof-that-you-re-close-to-a-major-breakthrough/) [Rev Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rev-run-2/) > [ Innovation is not a big breakthrough invention every time. Innovation is a constant thing. But if you don't have an innovative company \[team\], coming… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/innovation-is-not-a-big-breakthrough-invention-every-time-innovation/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [“A reset isn't going backwards; it's clearing the path to move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rivera/a-reset-isn-t-going-backwards-it-s-clearing-the-path-to-move-forward/) [Alex Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rivera/) > [The consensus we arrived with States for amending the Constitution to implement GST is a major breakthrough. This alone has the potential to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-consensus-we-arrived-with-states-for-amending-the-constitution-to/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Conceivably, blockchains could rely on a number of standards above the Internet's existing standards to allow a smooth bridging from one layer to another.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mougayar/conceivably-blockchains-could-rely-on-a-number-of-standards-above-the/) [William Mougayar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mougayar/) > [“He left the hearing feeling liberated, lighter, and more transparent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-critchlow/he-left-the-hearing-feeling-liberated-lighter-and-more-transparent/) [George Critchlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-critchlow/) [Browse all 507 Breakthrough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how the world is.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anton Zeilinger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breakthrough" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/anton-zeilinger-56072_breakthrough_real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because_2537.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/anton-zeilinger-56072_breakthrough_real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because_2537.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/anton-zeilinger-56072_breakthrough_real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because_2537.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are…” — Anton Zeilinger", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anton Zeilinger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Real breakthroughs are not found because...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```