Famous quotes
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“We all know that sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and earth spins on its axis from west to east. But on that day my jet plane was at 60 degree latitude near Greenland and the plane exceeded the speed of rotation of the earth on its axis so the sun was found moving from west towards east.”
Jayant Narlikar (1938–2025) said by 2025 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Not only did life originate on earth very early in its history as a planet, but for the first two billion years, Earth was inhabited solely by bacteria.”
Lynn Margulis (1938–2011) said by 2011 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Oh, God, enlarge within us the sense of fellowship with all living things, our brothers the animals to whom Thou gavest the earth in common with us. We remember with shame that in the past we have exercised the high dominion of man with ruthless cruelty so that the voice of the earth, which should have gone up to thee in song, has been a groan of travail.”
Basil of Caesarea (329–379) said by 379 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In circa A.D. 375. Included in A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church (NPNF), edited by P. Schaff and Henry Wace (Edinburg: T. Clark, 1897), 2nd Series, Vol. 8. Quoted in Matthew …
“As animals, we walk the earth. As bearers of divine essence, we are among the stars. As human beings, we are caught in the middle, seeking to reconcile the paradox of how to make our way upon earth while striving for something more permanent and more profound.”
B. K. S. Iyengar (1918–2014) said by 2014 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The more we learn about volcanoes, the more we learn about the earth. Learning about the earth is more important than it has ever been.”
“When you compare Mars to Earth, and Venus to Earth, you can see the problem [earthlings face]. We do not want to become Venus.”
“At that, I understood for sure I must not lose her, for the earth is not the earth without some light to see it by, and she was mine.”
Tanith Lee (1947–2015) said by 2015 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“We notice the movement of automobiles and beings in the street, but we do not notice that the earth turns. We believe that automobiles go at a great speed on a fixed ground; yet the speed of the earth's rotation at the equator is 40,000 km every 24 hours.”
Alexander Calder (1898–1976) said by 1976 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In 1972, from a distance of about 18,000 miles away, an Apollo 17 astronaut took a photo of the Earth that later would be named “The Blue Marble.” That single unprecedented image of an illuminated Earth in full jolted billions into contemplating the beauty and fragility of our tiny home in the dark expanse.”
Guy P. Harrison (born 1963) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Death is the fairest thing in the world. No one's ever gotten out of it. The earth takes everyone—the kind, the cruel, the sinners. Aside from that, there's no fairness on earth.”
Svetlana Alexievich (born 1948) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Proposition 7. The distance of the sun from the earth is greater than eighteen times, but less than twenty times, the distance of the moon from the earth.”
Aristarchus of Samos (310–230 BC) said by 230 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Proposition 14. The straight line joined from the centre of the earth to the centre of the moon has to the straight line cut off from the axis towards the centre of the moon by the straight line subtending the (circumference) within the earth's shadow a ratio greater than that which 675 has to 1.”
Aristarchus of Samos (310–230 BC) said by 230 BC at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Q: Did you start life like us with lots of demands, and what spurred you to give it up? A: When I was six or seven, I would feel I was inside a box of earth and sky, and I would weep. Once I asked my mother: "Take me out of this box of earth and sky." She said, "I can't." Then I said, "I'm going.”
Baba Hari Dass (1923–2018) said by 2018 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The poet W. H. Auden said, "Thousands have lived without love; none without water." Ninety-seven percent of Earth's water is ocean. No blue, no green. If you think the ocean isn't important, imagine Earth without it. Mars comes to mind. No ocean, no life support system.”
Sylvia Earle (born 1935) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“From a careful determination of the amount of solar heat that which would fall per minute on an area of one square centimetre placed perpendicular to the radiation as it falls on Earth's surface and from a knowledge of the Earth's distance, we deduce that each square centimetre of the solar surface radiates on the average of about the rate of a nine horse-power engine.”
Gerald James Whitrow (1912–2000) said by 2000 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There remains only the assumption that the ponderable masses within the rigid earth-crust are supporters of the soul-life of the earth.”
Bernhard Riemann (1826–1866) said by 1866 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I feel like a tree. A tree doesn't feel a duty to start doing something about the earth from which it comes. A tree just has to bear fruit, and leaves and blossoms. It doesn't feel grateful to the earth.”
Abbas Kiarostami (1940–2016) said by 2016 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Cthelll is the terrestrial inner nightmare, nocturnal ocean, Xanadu: the anorganic metal-body trauma-howl of the earth ... [P]lutonic science slides continuously into schizophrenic delirium. Fast forward seismology and you hear the earth scream.”
Nick Land (born 1962) first seen 1999 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Barker Speaks: The CCRU Interview with Professor D.C. Barker" (1999), in Fanged Noumena, pp. 498–9
“Appreciation of Mother Earth, her creatures, and the glories of the universe is the job of every human being. We were created to live nonviolently in peace with one another on Mother Earth and celebrate the beauty of creation morning, noon, and night.”
“I commend thy soul to God, and thy body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection.”
Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556) first seen 1549 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Order for Burial of the Dead, B. Cummings (Editor), The Book of Common Prayer, the texts of 1549, 1559, and 1662 (OUP 2011), Page 82
“What gives me grounds for optimism is that this is the only country on the face of the Earth where if you tell a 10-year-old kid, "You can't do" something and it strikes him as absurd, a 10-year-old kid looks up and says "It's a free country." This is the only nation on Earth whose children say "It's a free country." It's going to take a whole lot to root that out of the American spirit.”
Alan Charles Kors (born 1943) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In twenty to thirty thousand years memories become legends and legends become superstitions and even the superstitions become lost. Metals rust and corrode back into earth while the wind, the rain and the jungle erode and cover stone. The contours of the very continents change—and glaciers come and go, and a city of twenty thousand years before is under miles of earth or miles of water.”
Fredric Brown (1906–1972) said by 1972 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There's terrible evil in the world. It comes from men. All other elil do what they have to do and Frith moves them as he moves us. They live on the earth and they need food. Men will never rest till they've spoiled the earth and destroyed the animals.”
Richard Adams (1920–2016) said by 2016 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Earth can be any shape you want it any shape at all Dark and cold or bright and warm long or thin or small If love is all you're missing look into your heart: Is anybody home? There are stones buried in your soul In time you'll come to understand this flat old Earth is in your gentle hands”
Thomas Dolby (born 1958) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Earth is spherical despite what is popularly believed … the proof is that the Sun is always vertical to a particular spot on Earth.”
Ibn Hazm (994–1064) said by 1064 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The earth has been headquarters for bigots from time immemorial. I suspect that if we had information from the stars and were able to judge the spheres of space comparatively, we would find that the earth is head and shoulders above every other world within the sweep of the telescope in the enormous output of its assurance.”
J. Howard Moore (1862–1916) said by 1916 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Like the "," the "" is phony, a front for the war on privacy, liberty, and democracy. Only counter-terrorists can defeat terrorists. May the armies of the animal, earth, and human liberationists rise and multiply in a perfect war against the oppressors of the earth.”
Steven Best (born 1955) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I've come to realize that what has motivated my art-making is really a strong need for justice, for "people" to be treated [with respect.] And then when I say people, I also mean animals and insects and the birds and the earth and the earth person that we are all part of — that there's a key element and that's respect. And my work has always been motivated by that need for respect.”
“Thou, for whose love I've sacrifice existence, Art, yet art not, the sum of earth's existence, Earth lacks true Being, yet depends thereon— Thou art true Being, Thou art pure existence The Loved One is quite colourless, O heart, Be not engrossed with colours, then, O heart All colours come from what is colourless, And 'who can dye so well as God,' O heart?”
Jami (1414–1492) said by 1492 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The expression róma prthivyâh (1.65.8) ‘the body-hair of the earth’ ‘the plants’, suggests that the metaphor of tvac- as the ‘skin’ or surface of the earth was well established in the poetic language of the Rig-Veda.”
Hans Henrich Hock (born 1938) first seen 2005 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: quoted in Philology and the historical interpretation of the Vedic texts, in: Bryant, E. F., & Patton, L. L. (2005). The Indo-Aryan controversy : evidence and inference in Indian history. Routledge.
“The Pale Blue Dot image of Earth is not a stunning image. But that didn’t matter in the end, because it was the way that Carl romanced it, turning it into an allegory on the human condition, that has ever since made the phrase “Pale Blue Dot” and the image itself synonymous with an inspirational call to planetary brotherhood and protection of Earth.”
Carolyn Porco (born 1953) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“There are some devotees of the Lord who are His beloveds. When they call Him by name, all the birds of air and beasts of the forest stand in silence whilst the angels in heaven shudder and the earth and the heaven and illuminated. Such is the majesty of the utterance of the Name by them that the earth stans quaking.”
Abu al-Hassan al-Kharaqani (963–1033) said by 1033 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If... immortal, amoral and greed-driven people walked the earth, we would have to rewrite our laws governing property. ...[O]ur new class of immortals could just keep accumulating wealth and power forever. In time they would probably own every... asset on earth worth having. ...[That] immortal being is the modern corporation.”
David Cay Johnston (born 1948) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Till now consciousness, reason and morality were localised on planet Earth; by resurrecting all the generations who have lived on this Earth, consciousness will be disseminated to all the worlds of the Universe. Resurrection is the transformation of the Universe from that chaos towards which it is moving into cosmos — into the greatness of incorruptibility and indestructibility.”
Nikolai Fyodorovich Fyodorov (1828–1903) said by 1903 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The idea of a one-world government is fundamentally the same phenomenon that was displayed by the builders of the Tower of Babel who presumed to exercise the power of God on earth to unite heaven with earth, which is simply incorrect. What we truly need is a religious conversion, in other words, a strong teaching and practice of faith in God and obedience to the order with which He has created us.”
Raymond Leo Burke (born 1948) first seen 2019 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Interview with Cardinal Burke… He Is With Us: Trusting In The Lord In Turbulent Times (December 26, 2019)
“I did not expect to survive, earth suppressing me. I didn't expect to waken again, to feel in damp earth my body able to respond again, remembering after so long how to open again in the cold light of earliest spring—afraid, yes, but among you again crying yes risk joyin the raw wind of the new world.”
Louise Glück (1943–2023) said by 2023 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I wasn't put on this earth to act. I was put on this earth to share and to be an example of the power and wisdom and grace and mercy of God in my life.”
Denzel Washington (born 1954) first seen 2024 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in Denzel's Divine Encounter, 24 November 2024
“When Allah has decided to take the message to all the corners of earth, who on earth can prevent this progress.”
Mirza Masroor Ahmad (born 1950) first seen 2013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Khilafat-e-Ahmadiyya, Friday Sermon May 24th, 2013
“I am certain, if everyone could see the Earth floating just outside their windows, every day would be #EarthDay There are few things more fragile or more beautiful than Earth, let’s work together today and everyday to protect our home.”
Michael Collins (astronaut) first seen 2021 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: EarthDay message on Twitter (22 April 2021)
“The rai then ascended the rampart of the fort of Arangal, and turning his face towards the royal pavilion, he bowed to the earth. Thus did he for three days, out of respect to the pale of religion; he turned towards the pavilion, and kissed the earth...”
Prataparudra (died 1323) said by 1323 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Prataparudra after his surrender to Ulugh Khan. Quoted in Amir Khusrau, in his Nuh Sipihr, in Elliot and Dowson Vol. III, also in Jain, M. (2019). Flight of deities and rebirth of temples: Episodes from Indian history.2…
“Rafah has now become the largest refugee camp on earth. One million people fled here because it was supposed to be safe. They’ve joined the population which is there already. It’s the most crowded, it’s the largest refugee camp on earth, and you cannot have a war in a refugee camp.”
Jan Egeland (born 1957) first seen 2024 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: ‘You cannot have a war in a refugee camp,’ NGO director says as Rafah assault looms, Al Jazeera, (10 February 2024)
“For thin is the veil betwixt man and the godless deep. The skies are haunted by that which it were madness to know; and strange abominations pass evermore between earth and moon and athwart the galaxies. Unnameable things have come to us in alien horror and will come again. And the evil of the stars is not as the evil of earth.”
Clark Ashton Smith (1893–1961) first seen 1933 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The Beast Of Averoigne" in Weird Tales (1933)
“I ask all Kyivans to understand this problem, and I will also ask all Kyivans... in the same manner to be especially... with especial attitude address the problem of heat conservation and the preparation to earth. Klitschko confused земля (earth) with зима (winter)”
Vitali Klitschko (born 1971) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“These calculations result in ages for the Earth of 4.52 to 4.56 Ga. Probably the best value is 4.54 Ga, found by (Fouad) Tera using the congruency point of the four oldest conformable lead ores. Its value, which is known to within 1% or better, is consistent with the ages of meteorites, the ages of the oldest lunar samples, and the ages of the oldest Earth rocks.”
Brent Dalrymple (born 1937) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“What keeps earth air breathable? Not oxygen alone. The earth is a freer place to breathe in, every time you love without calculating a return – every time you make your drudgeries and routines still more inefficient by stopping to experience the shock of beauty wherever it unpredictably flickers.”
Peter Viereck (1916–2006) said by 2006 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The time will come when a spacecraft carrying human beings will leave the earth and set out on a voyage to distant planets to remote worlds. Today this may seem only an enticing fantasy, but such in fact is not the case. The launching of the first two Soviet Sputniks has already thrown a sturdy bridge from the earth into space, and the way to the stars is open.”
Sergei Korolev (1907–1966) said by 1966 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Abbreviated Lives Tragic Tales of Artists Scientists and Writers, pg. 128 (2022)
“We thought that [Evo Morales] represented hope, we identified with him. He won, we gave him all the power. But the process has given us nothing. It has been all discourse, no application. He speaks of Mother Earth, and he is the foremost violator of Mother Earth.”
Rafael Quispe (born 1969) first seen 2010 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Bill Weinberg (2 September 2010) "Beyond Extraction: An Interview With Rafael Quispe", NACLA Report on the Americas.
“Man has a symbiotic relationship with the Earth. We depend on the natural surroundings for sustenance, shelter and survival. Ecological and climatic conditions in the natural habitat reflect how well we manage Earth’s resources. We can only ensure our longevity if we protect and preserve the planet.”
Nnenna Okore (born 1975) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond.”
Robin Wall Kimmerer (born 1953) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“In the , the root word for land is the same as the word for mind. Gathering roots holds up a mirror between the map in the earth and the map of our minds. This is what happens, I think, in the silence and the singing and with hands in the earth. At a certain angle of that mirror, the routes converge and we find our way back home.”
Robin Wall Kimmerer (born 1953) wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source