--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do not think that the radio waves I…" description: "\"I do not think that the radio waves I have discovered will have any practical application.\" — Heinrich Hertz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ee/heinrich-hertz-33718_application_i-do-not-think-that-the-radio-waves-i-ha_766930.png" --- # I do not think that the radio waves I have discovered will… ![“I do not think that the radio waves I have discovered will have any practical application.” quote by Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ee/heinrich-hertz-33718_application_i-do-not-think-that-the-radio-waves-i-ha_766930.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ee/heinrich-hertz-33718_application_i-do-not-think-that-the-radio-waves-i-ha_766930.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ee/heinrich-hertz-33718_application_i-do-not-think-that-the-radio-waves-i-ha_766930.png) > “I do not think that the radio waves I have discovered will have any practical application.” [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early discoveries may seem impractical, yet they can later revolutionize technology. **In simple terms:** Ideas may seem useless now. Key Takeaway Value fundamental research. Themes science innovation patience future Mood optimistic inquisitive Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - research funding - education - policy making - entrepreneurship Key Concepts physics technology history of science Questions to Reflect On - What current “useless” research could become vital? - How can we support long‑term science? A Different Perspective Practical applications may take decades to emerge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Radio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radio/) [Radio waves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radio-waves/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Statistics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statistics/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Waves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waves/) ## Related quotes > [I do not think that the wireless waves I have discovered will have any practical application](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-rudolf-hertz/i-do-not-think-that-the-wireless-waves-i-have-discovered-will-have/) Heinrich Rudolf Hertz > [“When I realized that my home was completely filled with a biologically toxic radio wave field, I decided that the best route forward was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/when-i-realized-that-my-home-was-completely-filled-with-a/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I think it quite likely that we are the only civilization within several hundred light years; otherwise we would have heard radio waves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-think-it-quite-likely-that-we-are-the-only-civilization-within/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Each of is endlessly generating waves with our actions. If you could see the earth from a vibratory point of view, you would see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/each-of-is-endlessly-generating-waves-with-our-actions-if-you-could/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“A modern example of this stunning knowledge of nature that Einstein has gifted us, comes from 2016, when gravitational waves were discovered by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/a-modern-example-of-this-stunning-knowledge-of-nature-that-einstein-2/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“A modern example of this stunning knowledge of nature that Einstein has gifted us, comes from 2016, when gravitational waves were discovered by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/a-modern-example-of-this-stunning-knowledge-of-nature-that-einstein/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [But why must everything have a practical application? I'd been such a diligent soldier for years - working, producing, never missing a deadline, taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/but-why-must-everything-have-a-practical-application-i-d-been-such-a/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Humility is practical application of knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/humility-is-practical-application-of-knowledge/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [“But why must everything always have a practical application?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/but-why-must-everything-always-have-a-practical-application/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Practical application is the only mordant which will set things in the memory. Study without it is gymnastics, and not work, which alone will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/practical-application-is-the-only-mordant-which-will-set-things-in/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Practical application is found by not looking for it, and one can say that the whole progress of civilization rests on that principle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-hadamard/practical-application-is-found-by-not-looking-for-it-and-one-can-say/) [Jacques Hadamard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-hadamard/) > [There cannot be a greater mistake than that of looking superciliously upon practical applications of science. The life and soul of science is its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-kelvin/there-cannot-be-a-greater-mistake-than-that-of-looking-superciliously/) [Lord Kelvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-kelvin/) > [“But why must everything always have a practical application? I'd been such a diligent soldier for years - working, producing, never missing a deadline,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/but-why-must-everything-always-have-a-practical-application-i-d-been-2/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [What is the next step, the practical application? —I will answer that the absolutely vital thing is to consolidate your understanding, to become capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-the-next-step-the-practical-application-i-will-answer-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Once you get everything out of your head about what everybody else is going to think, will radio play it - and I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-monroe/once-you-get-everything-out-of-your-head-about-what-everybody-else-is/) [Ashley Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-monroe/) ## More by Heinrich Hertz > [I also require much time to ponder over the matters themselves, and particularly the principles of mechanics (as the very words: force, time, space,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/i-also-require-much-time-to-ponder-over-the-matters-themselves-and/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) > [Sometimes I really regret that I did not live in those times when there was still so much that was new; to be sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/sometimes-i-really-regret-that-i-did-not-live-in-those-times-when/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) > [The rigour of science requires that we distinguish well the undraped figure of Nature itself from the gay-coloured vesture with which we clothe her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/the-rigour-of-science-requires-that-we-distinguish-well-the-undraped/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) > [“One cannot escape the feeling that these mathematical formulae have an independent existence and an intelligence of their own, that they are wiser than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/one-cannot-escape-the-feeling-that-these-mathematical-formulae-have/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) > [Maxwell's theory is Maxwell's system of equations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/maxwell-s-theory-is-maxwell-s-system-of-equations/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) > [Outside our consciousness there lies the cold and alien world of actual things. Between the two stretches the narrow borderland of the senses. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/outside-our-consciousness-there-lies-the-cold-and-alien-world-of/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) > [Our confused wish finds expression in the confused question as to the nature of force and electricity. But the answer which we want is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/our-confused-wish-finds-expression-in-the-confused-question-as-to-the/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) > [“Outside our consciousness there lies the cold and alien world of actual things. Between the two stretches the narrow borderland of the senses. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/outside-our-consciousness-there-lies-the-cold-and-alien-world-of-2/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) > [From the outset Maxwell's theory excelled all others in elegance and in the abundance of the relations between the various phenomena which it included.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/from-the-outset-maxwell-s-theory-excelled-all-others-in-elegance-and/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) > [In my work I now have the comfortable feeling that I am so to speak on my own ground and territory and almost certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/in-my-work-i-now-have-the-comfortable-feeling-that-i-am-so-to-speak/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) > [“...the question as to the nature of force will not have been answered; but our minds, no longer vexed, will cease to ask illegitimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/the-question-as-to-the-nature-of-force-will-not-have-been-answered/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) > [One cannot escape the feeling that these mathematical formulas have an independent existence and an intelligence of their own, that they are wiser than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/one-cannot-escape-the-feeling-that-these-mathematical-formulas-have/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) > [I grow increasingly aware, and in more ways than expected that I am at the center of my own field; and whether it be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-hertz/i-grow-increasingly-aware-and-in-more-ways-than-expected-that-i-am-at/) [Heinrich Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) [Explore all 14 Heinrich Hertz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-hertz/) ## More Application quotes > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. 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