A Midsummer's Equation (Detective Galileo #3)

by Keigo Higashino

What a scientist must consider foremost is which of the many available paths will lead to the greatest benefit for humanity.

“It’s okay if you don’t like science,” he said, “but that doesn’t mean you can just ignore things you don’t understand. It’ll come back to haunt you.”

“Even metal that doesn’t normally burn will ignite under the proper conditions. Fireworks are essentially metal, several kinds mixed together.”

“The blue sparks are copper, green is barium. Red sparks are strontium, and yellow are sodium. All metals. As you can see, each metal and metallic compound gives off a distinct color when it burns. This is called a flame reaction,”

“Even people without a place to live or steady work need a community—in fact, they probably need it more than the rest of us. That’s how a lot of them survive on the streets.”

It’s arrogant to think that knowing only one is sufficient. Only by respecting the other side’s work and way of thinking can you open a path for compromise.

Observation won’t get you anywhere if you don’t bring all of your experience to bear.”

Do you know what accounts for most research delays? Interruptions that have nothing to do with the research whatsoever.”

And I believe there is no greater sin than to leave one’s curiosity unsatisfied. Curiosity is the fuel that powers the engine of human advancement.”

At one hundred degrees Celsius, water becomes a gas. Conversely, as long as water remains a liquid, it can’t get any hotter.

Things need oxygen to burn, and without oxygen, fires go out. And if there’s some oxygen, but not a lot, it will burn incompletely.”