In his essay “To Tell a Chemist” (1965), Asimov proposed a simple shibboleth for distinguishing chemists from non-chemists: ask the person to read the word “unionized”. Chemists, he noted, will read un-ionized (electrically neutral), while non-chemists will read union-ized (belonging to a trade union).
Isaac Asimov is considered one of the greats of 20th century science fiction. Again, while most famous for writing science fiction he wrote much more than just that.
Isaac Asimov has won scores of Hugo Awards for stories and for Best Editor; dozens of Nebula Awards; several World Fantasy Awards; over a dozen Theodore Sturgeon Awards and Homer Awards; and multiple Sidewise Awards1. He has won Hugo Awards for Best Related Work, Best Novelette, and Best Editor.
He wrote 40 novels and a lot of short stories, and is a great read almost always. He also wrote textbooks because he was just amazing.
Love both! Thanks!
Is that Freja?
Well, presumably more than a few dozen light years away. A few dozen lightyears is nothing on a cosmic scale.
Ah, I could see that. It can be read either way, but I think the author intended it to be read this way. ‘Wow!’ As the reaction to the father’s statement that he won’t have to work if he does something he loves.
Yes how is the text supposed to for?
Interesting read. Thank you.
Sorry, I should have left a(n) /s.
That was the joke I was going for.
Enterprise, obviously…
Of Mortal Kombat Konquest fame…
Anecdotal, but I’ve seen banana plants push out leaves vertically nearly that fast at their peak growth. Each leaf can be close to 6ft long, maybe longer. They shoot straight up out of the top of the plant when they come out, so they do temporarily add that much height.
When the leave gets completely pushed out, it unfolds and leans to the side and in the end only adds a foot or less to the full height.
Not sure if that counts, but they are fun plants to have. I’m in Midwest America… so you don’t have to be in a tropical area to grow them, but we do have to cut it down every year and cover it in mulch and leaves to protect it.
Our biggest gets to 16-18ft tall every year. One of it’s children we’ve given away is a bit bigger.