--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From the age of 13, I was attracted to…" description: "\"“From the age of 13, I was attracted to physics and mathematics. My interest in these subjects derived mostly from popular science books that I read av..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/david-gross-23995_math_from-the-age-of-13-i-was-attracted-to-ph_1207124.jpg" --- # From the age of 13, I was attracted to physics and… ![“From the age of 13, I was attracted to physics and mathematics. My interest in these subjects derived mostly from popular science books that I read avidly. Early on I was fascinated by theoretical physics and determined to become a theoretical physicist. I had no real idea what that meant, but it…” quote by David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/david-gross-23995_math_from-the-age-of-13-i-was-attracted-to-ph_1207124.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/david-gross-23995_math_from-the-age-of-13-i-was-attracted-to-ph_1207124.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/david-gross-23995_math_from-the-age-of-13-i-was-attracted-to-ph_1207124.jpg) > ““From the age of 13, I was attracted to physics and mathematics. My interest in these subjects derived mostly from popular science books that I read avidly. Early on I was fascinated by theoretical physics and determined to become a theoretical physicist. I had no real idea what that meant, but it seemed incredibly exciting to spend one's life attempting to find the secrets of the universe by using one's mind.”” [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child’s curiosity sparked by popular science led to a lifelong pursuit of understanding the universe through physics and mathematics. **In simple terms:** Early fascination with physics grew into a career goal. Key Takeaway Follow curiosity wherever it leads. Themes curiosity science career education Mood inspired reflective Type personal motivational When to use this quote - reading popular science - choosing a major - pursuing graduate studies - career planning Key Concepts physics mathematics theoretical research Questions to Reflect On - What sparked your own lifelong interest? - How do you sustain motivation over decades? A Different Perspective Passion alone may not guarantee success without mentorship and resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fascinated Theoretical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascinated-theoretical-3643738/) [Math](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/math/) [Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematics/) [Nobel-laureate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobel-laureate/) [Physicist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicist/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Physics Mathematics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics-mathematics-1727211/) [Popular Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/popular-science/) [Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets/) [Theoretical Physicist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theoretical-physicist-534685/) [Theoretical physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theoretical-physics/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [From the age of 13, I was attracted to physics and mathematics. My interest in these subjects derived mostly from popular science books that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/from-the-age-of-13-i-was-attracted-to-physics-and-mathematics-my-2/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [Is the purpose of theoretical physics to be no more than a cataloging of all the things that can happen when particles interact with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-schwinger/is-the-purpose-of-theoretical-physics-to-be-no-more-than-a-cataloging/) [Julian Schwinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-schwinger/) > [Actually, I was more or less determined to be a theoretical physicist at the age of thirteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/actually-i-was-more-or-less-determined-to-be-a-theoretical-physicist/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [Physics without mathematics is meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/physics-without-mathematics-is-meaningless/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [“The various approximations that constitute our current physics theories are successful because simple mathematical structures can provide good approximations of certain aspects of more-complex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-tegmark/the-various-approximations-that-constitute-our-current-physics/) [Max Tegmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-tegmark/) > [Physics is to mathematics what sex is to masturbation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/physics-is-to-mathematics-what-sex-is-to-masturbation/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [I am too good for philosophy and not good enough for physics. Mathematics is in between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-polya/i-am-too-good-for-philosophy-and-not-good-enough-for-physics/) [George Polya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-polya/) > [The progress of science is much more muddled than is depicted in most history books. This is especially true of theoretical physics, partly because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/the-progress-of-science-is-much-more-muddled-than-is-depicted-in-most/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [Since the founding of quantum mechanics in the 1920s, theoretical physics had nurtured an extremely radical tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/since-the-founding-of-quantum-mechanics-in-the-1920s-theoretical/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [I was so pleased to be at university to do physics and mathematics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-carver/i-was-so-pleased-to-be-at-university-to-do-physics-and-mathematics/) [John Henry Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-carver/) > [To become a theoretical physicist ... you need to have a passionate love affair with the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/to-become-a-theoretical-physicist-you-need-to-have-a-passionate-love/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [My older brother is a distinguished theoretical physicist, a fellow of the Royal Society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/my-older-brother-is-a-distinguished-theoretical-physicist-a-fellow-of/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [Therefore psychologically we must keep all the theories in our heads, and every theoretical physicist who is any good knows six or seven different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/therefore-psychologically-we-must-keep-all-the-theories-in-our-heads/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [The most important tool of the theoretical physicist is his wastebasket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-important-tool-of-the-theoretical-physicist-is-his/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The career of a young theoretical physicist consists of treating the harmonic oscillator in ever-increasing levels of abstraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-coleman/the-career-of-a-young-theoretical-physicist-consists-of-treating-the/) [Sidney Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-coleman/) ## More by David Gross > [Actually, I was more or less determined to be a theoretical physicist at the age of thirteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/actually-i-was-more-or-less-determined-to-be-a-theoretical-physicist/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [Since the founding of quantum mechanics in the 1920s, theoretical physics had nurtured an extremely radical tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/since-the-founding-of-quantum-mechanics-in-the-1920s-theoretical/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [Some wonder whether some day we will arrive at a theory of everything and run out of new problems to solve - much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/some-wonder-whether-some-day-we-will-arrive-at-a-theory-of-everything/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [I was born in Washington, D.C., on February 19, 1941, the eldest of four sons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/i-was-born-in-washington-d-c-on-february-19-1941-the-eldest-of-four/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [I strongly believe that the fundamental laws of nature are not emergent phenomena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/i-strongly-believe-that-the-fundamental-laws-of-nature-are-not/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [The progress of science is much more muddled than is depicted in most history books. 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People, children,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/the-main-reason-why-people-should-care-about-research-in-fundamental/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [Theorists have wonderful ideas which take years and years to be verified.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/theorists-have-wonderful-ideas-which-take-years-and-years-to-be/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [Indeed, the most important product of knowledge is ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/indeed-the-most-important-product-of-knowledge-is-ignorance/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [From the age of 13, I was attracted to physics and mathematics. My interest in these subjects derived mostly from popular science books that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/from-the-age-of-13-i-was-attracted-to-physics-and-mathematics-my-2/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [My father and mother treated us children as intellectual equals, thus greatly bolstering our self-confidence and our interest in ideas of all kinds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/my-father-and-mother-treated-us-children-as-intellectual-equals-thus/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [My childhood in Arlington, Va., a middle class suburb of Washington, was uneventful. Ours was a very intellectual family, and we were encouraged to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/my-childhood-in-arlington-va-a-middle-class-suburb-of-washington-was/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) > [The Big Bang theory is the idea that if we go back early enough in the history of the universe - and we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gross/the-big-bang-theory-is-the-idea-that-if-we-go-back-early-enough-in/) [David Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) [Explore all 25 David Gross quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gross/) ## More Math quotes > [I worry about Las Vegas schools. 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At the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/in-school-math-and-science-were-my-favorite-subjects-but-i-probably/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [“When one day Lagrange took out of his pocket a paper which he read at the Académe, and which contained a demonstration of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-biot/when-one-day-lagrange-took-out-of-his-pocket-a-paper-which-he-read-at/) [Jean-Baptiste Biot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-biot/) > [Most people who open restaurants will fail, because they lack the fundamental understanding of restaurant math. Either they think they're superstar cooks or they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bastianich/most-people-who-open-restaurants-will-fail-because-they-lack-the/) [Joe Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bastianich/) > [Our eyes met in the math class. 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