Great scientists series-4: Ivar Giaever

“When I came to General Electric, I was then 30 years old. I said to [my colleague John Fisher], ‘I’d really like to learn some physics. But I know I’m too old to make any discovery in physics because most physicists do that when they’re in their twenties.’

And John said to me, ‘You’re not too old. You make discoveries when you’re learning. So if you start learning at thirty you can still make discoveries.’”

- Ivar Giaever was awarded the 1973 Nobel Prize in Physics for his research on tunnelling in semiconductors and superconductors, which was carried out when he was 31 years old. 

Read more on this link

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1973/giaever/interview/

His discovery of quantum tunneling is the central driving force in super conductors. His journey is interesting and teaches how learning enthusiastically leads to new discoveries.