Harvesting Scientific Inspiration – AIP.ORG

As the leaves begin to change and the air turns crisp, it is once again harvest season and we consider a favorite fall fruit among physicists: the apple! September and October are the peak (or core) months of apple-picking season in the United States. For physical sciences, apples are not just a delicious fruit to eat or bake into a pie, but an emblem of the physical sciences enterprise itself.

This particular fruit has been indelibly associated with the field of physics since the propagation of the legendary story of Isaac Newton, resting and ruminating in his garden, being struck by scientific inspiration as he observed an apple fall from a tree. Some believe that an apple tree in the garden of Woolsthorpe Manor, Newton’s birthplace and family home, is the infamous source of revelation, and many history of science enthusiasts visit the site each year to appreciate the momentous setting. Roy Bishop was one such physicist who made the pilgrimage in early October 1979, where, in a moment of serendipity, he captured several photographs of a double rainbow over the property (dually calling to mind Newton’s Opticks ).

Bishop’s photograph of the house was later used on a first day of issue cover (FDC ) for a commemorative Newton postage stamp series in the UK, which notably featured an apple stamp as a symbol of his discoveries and principles.

The apple tree believed by many to be Newton’s inspiration for his law of gravity is a variety called the Flower of Kent . This particular breed is neither optimal for cultivation nor in possession of many sought-after culinary features. Many other such heirloom apple varieties have been cast aside and lost over time;, however, the Flower of Kent is said to be maintained solely for its relationship with Newton and its role as a symbol for discovery and advancement in physics. Grafts deriving directly from the Woolsthorpe Manor tree have been dispersed across the world and planted in locations with the intention to grow inspiration in the physical sciences.
One can find grafts deriving from Newton’s Flower of Kent across the United States. The National Institute of Standards and Technology famously has planted several on the campus of their headquarters in Gaithersburg, MD.

In addition to research institutes and laboratories, universities and colleges also plant clones of Newton’s Flower of Kent, either next to the buildings that house their physics departments or elsewhere on campus. Several academic arboreal locations include MIT , Stanford University (where its exact location is kept secret ), the University of Nebraska , the University of Wisconsin , the College of William & Mary , and Purdue University , among many more!

So, as you enjoy the changing colors of the autumn, relaxing outdoors in the cool air, or biting into a crisp, perfectly ripe apple, remember that scientific inspiration may drop at any moment…

Do you have a Newton Flower of Kent on your campus or research site? We invite you to take a picture of yourself and your colleagues next to your tree and consider submitting it as a donation to the ESVA !