--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was unthinkable not long ago that a…" description: "\"It was unthinkable not long ago that a biologist or paleontologist would be at the same conference as an astrophysicist. Now we have accumulated so muc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_accumulate_it-was-unthinkable-not-long-ago-that-a-b_1762152.png" --- # It was unthinkable not long ago that a biologist or… ![“It was unthinkable not long ago that a biologist or paleontologist would be at the same conference as an astrophysicist. Now we have accumulated so much data in each of these branches of science as it relates to origins that we have learned that no one discipline can answer questions of origins…” quote by Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_accumulate_it-was-unthinkable-not-long-ago-that-a-b_1762152.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_accumulate_it-was-unthinkable-not-long-ago-that-a-b_1762152.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cd/neil-degrasse-tyson-143_accumulate_it-was-unthinkable-not-long-ago-that-a-b_1762152.png) > “It was unthinkable not long ago that a biologist or paleontologist would be at the same conference as an astrophysicist. Now we have accumulated so much data in each of these branches of science as it relates to origins that we have learned that no one discipline can answer questions of origins alone.” [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science fields once separate now overlap because each provides pieces of the origin puzzle, requiring collaboration to solve complex questions. **In simple terms:** Different sciences must work together to understand origins. Key Takeaway Embrace interdisciplinary collaboration. Themes science collaboration origins interdisciplinary knowledge Mood curious inspired optimistic Type educational motivational When to use this quote - research conferences - academic curricula - grant proposals - public policy - media coverage Key Concepts systems thinking epistemology complexity Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions foster cross‑disciplinary research? - What barriers exist between scientific fields? A Different Perspective Disciplinary silos and funding structures can hinder cooperation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alone/) [Biologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biologist/) [Data](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/data/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Origins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/origins/) [Paleontologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paleontologist/) [Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [I feel a great kinship with my origins, even though I only learned a few words of Arabic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-el-shaarawy/i-feel-a-great-kinship-with-my-origins-even-though-i-only-learned-a/) [Stephan El Shaarawy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-el-shaarawy/) > [I view the major features of my own odyssey as a set of mostly fortunate contingencies. I was not destined by inherited mentality or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-view-the-major-features-of-my-own-odyssey-as-a-set-of-mostly/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [One of my kids keeps on saying that he wants to be a paleontologist, but first he wants to make a time machine, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callis/one-of-my-kids-keeps-on-saying-that-he-wants-to-be-a-paleontologist/) [James Callis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callis/) > [Every paleontologist knows that most new species, genera, and families, and that nearly all categories above the level of family appear in the record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-paleontologist-knows-that-most-new-species-genera-and-families/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And it has been the paleontologist- my own breed-who have been most responsible for letting ideas dominate reality: ...We paleontologist have said that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niles-eldredge/and-it-has-been-the-paleontologist-my-own-breed-who-have-been-most/) [Niles Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niles-eldredge/) > [One of the things that I first remember wanting to be was a 'geolisty' - that was the best I could say when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-mello/one-of-the-things-that-i-first-remember-wanting-to-be-was-a-geolisty/) [Craig Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-mello/) > [My kids and I sometimes will just sit in my office and talk about what the world was like 68 million years ago. 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I loved monster movies and sci-fi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-bradley-baker/when-i-was-a-child-i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-a-paleontologist/) [Dee Bradley Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-bradley-baker/) > [I dreamed of becoming a scientist, in general, and a paleontologist, in particular, ever since the Tyrannosaurus skeleton awed and scared me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-dreamed-of-becoming-a-scientist-in-general-and-a-paleontologist-in/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I want to be a paleontologist, whether it's amateur or professional. And I want to be a humanitarian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myles-garrett/i-want-to-be-a-paleontologist-whether-it-s-amateur-or-professional/) [Myles Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myles-garrett/) > [I was very fortunate, during my early years as a paleontologist, in that my field crews and I made some remarkable discoveries indicating dinosaurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/i-was-very-fortunate-during-my-early-years-as-a-paleontologist-in/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) ## More by Neil deGrasse Tyson > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. 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In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-caricature-of-science-is-that-we-hold-tight-to-the-theories-we/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I've said multiple times that the world's first trillionaire is going to be the person who exploits the resources of asteroids, the natural resources…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-ve-said-multiple-times-that-the-world-s-first-trillionaire-is-going/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [ They \[scientists of centuries past\] call on God only from the lonely and precarious edge of incomprehension. Where they feel certain about their explanations,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/they-scientists-of-centuries-past-call-on-god-only-from-the-lonely/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We explore our environment, more than we are compelled to utter poetry, when we're toddlers. We start doing that later. Before that happens, every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/we-explore-our-environment-more-than-we-are-compelled-to-utter-poetry/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [You can't have people making decisions about the future of the world who are scientifically illiterate. That's a recipe for disaster. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/you-can-t-have-people-making-decisions-about-the-future-of-the-world/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Science surrounds you. It's not something that you can step aside, step over or push out of your way because you were never good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/science-surrounds-you-it-s-not-something-that-you-can-step-aside-step/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The idea that God resides in the unknown is what philosophers call the God of the gaps. And we have this thing called science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-god-resides-in-the-unknown-is-what-philosophers-call/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Everybody's got money for vacation time. 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That's all that ageing is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/ageing-is-simply-and-clearly-the-accumulation-of-damage-in-the-body/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [The more storage you have, the more stuff you accumulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-stewart/the-more-storage-you-have-the-more-stuff-you-accumulate/) [Alexis Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-stewart/) > [What is negotiation but the accumulation of small lies leading to advantage?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/what-is-negotiation-but-the-accumulation-of-small-lies-leading-to/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [“A little here and a little there will always accumulate, so why be surprised when steady, small steps take you to great places?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/a-little-here-and-a-little-there-will-always-accumulate-so-why-be/) [Richelle E. 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As long as they do not become a burden.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/how-long-should-one-accumulate-material-things-as-long-as-they-do-not/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [One precedent creates another and they soon accumulate and constitute law. What yesterday was a fact, today is doctrine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junius/one-precedent-creates-another-and-they-soon-accumulate-and-constitute/) [Junius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junius/) > [Our culture is hung up on and overemphasises what can be derived from material objects. 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