Jon Evans Quotes

Powerful Jon Evans for Daily Growth

About Jon Evans

Jon Evans is a renowned science writer, journalist, and public speaker who has made significant contributions to popularizing scientific concepts in an accessible and engaging manner. Born on January 17, 1974, in the United Kingdom, he spent his early years in Oxford before moving to Cambridge for his university education. Evans' interest in science was sparked during his childhood, fueled by a family environment that encouraged curiosity and questioning. He credits his parents, both scientists, with instilling in him an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a deep understanding of the scientific method. After completing his undergraduate studies at Cambridge University, Evans pursued a career in journalism. He worked as a reporter for various technology publications before joining New Scientist magazine, where he honed his skills in communicating complex scientific ideas to a broad audience. In 2015, Evans published his first book, "How to Make Almost Anything: Eclectic Excursions into the Science of Making Things," which explores the science behind various manufacturing processes and crafts. The book was well-received by critics and readers alike, showcasing Evans' unique ability to make complex topics enjoyable and relatable. In 2019, Evans published his second book, "The Periodic Table: A Tour of the Elements," which offers a fascinating journey through the history, properties, and uses of each element on the periodic table. The book has been praised for its engaging storytelling and comprehensive coverage of the subject matter. Evans continues to write for various publications and deliver public talks about science, technology, and innovation. His work is characterized by a keen eye for detail, an infectious enthusiasm for his subjects, and a deep respect for the power of curiosity and the importance of scientific literacy.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The universe is under no obligation to make sense."

This quote by Jon Evans emphasizes that the cosmos, with its complexities and mysteries, may not adhere to our human desire for a logical or comprehensible structure. It reminds us of the vastness and intricacy of the universe, which often surpasses our limited understanding. Embracing this perspective encourages curiosity, humility, and an appreciation for the beauty and complexity of existence.


"Everything that can be understood, can eventually be explained away."

The quote suggests that anything comprehensible or logical in our understanding of the world can be reduced to an explanation or rationalization. This implies a level of skepticism towards accepted truths, encouraging us to question and probe deeper until we exhaust all possible explanations. It's a call to intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, emphasizing that no knowledge should be taken for granted without thorough examination.


"Reality is just a hologram."

Jon Evans' quote, "Reality is just a hologram," is an expression of the theory that our physical universe is not fundamental but is instead composed of information or energy patterns arranged in a holographic structure. This theory suggests that the entire universe can be described by data stored on a two-dimensional surface at the boundary of the cosmos, similar to a hologram where all the information is encoded in its surface. In essence, Evans is saying that our perception of reality might not be as concrete or separate from ourselves as we commonly believe. It's a philosophical concept related to quantum physics and cosmology, questioning the nature of reality and our understanding of it.


"We are all made of starstuff."

The quote "We are all made of starstust" by Jon Evans signifies the cosmic connection between every living being on Earth and the universe at large. It is reminding us that all the elements necessary for life - carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, etc. - were formed in the nuclei of stars long ago, then released into space during supernovae explosions. When these elements came together to form new stars, planets, and eventually living organisms, we became a part of this grand cosmic cycle. It emphasizes our interconnectedness with the universe, fostering a sense of awe, humility, and responsibility towards preserving life on Earth and exploring the mysteries of the cosmos.


"There is no such thing as randomness in the universe."

The quote suggests that everything in the universe has a purpose, pattern, or explanation behind it, with no events happening without cause or reason. It implies that even seemingly random occurrences can be traced back to underlying principles, laws of nature, or connections that may not always be immediately apparent. Essentially, it challenges the idea of chaos and coincidence in favor of a more systematic, interconnected universe.


Every time you log in to Facebook, every time you click on your News Feed, every time you Like a photo, every time you send anything via Messenger, you add another data point to the galaxy they already have regarding you and your behavior.

- Jon Evans

Data, News, Add, Log

I've been a software engineer, a novelist, a journalist, and a manager - and managing developers is easily the trickiest thing I've ever done.

- Jon Evans

Software, Manager, Been, Novelist

I don't mind that Bill Gates is a mega zillionaire; he's done a lot of really interesting and innovative stuff. I do mind that a lot of unworthy people rode his coattails to minizillionaire status, e.g. the inventor of Hungarian notation, probably the dumbest widely-promulgated idea in the history of the field.

- Jon Evans

Idea, Mega, The History Of, Hungarian

As hardware doubles its density every 18-24 months, courtesy of Moore's Law, and as software eats the world, technology will replace a broad swathe of jobs outright - from burger-flippers to diagnosticians - and atomize many others from full-time positions into gigs performed by many fungible workers. Tech, in short, will eat jobs.

- Jon Evans

Software, Replace, Full-Time, Doubles

I'm a victim of Developaralysis: the crippling sense that the software industry is evolving so fast that no one person can possibly keep up.

- Jon Evans

Software, Sense, Industry, Crippling

The tech industry used to be home to a disproportionate number of misfits and weirdos. Geeks. Nerds. People who needed to know how machines worked: needed to take them apart, make them better, and put them back together again.

- Jon Evans

Back, Needed, Industry, Geeks

Governments are scared of software.

- Jon Evans

Software, Governments, Scared

It is a truth universally acknowledged, in the enlightened liberal semi-socialist California circles in which I often move, that Uber is evil.

- Jon Evans

Move, Which, Acknowledged, Enlightened

A great coder can easily be 50 times more productive than a mediocre one, while bad ones ultimately have negative productivity.

- Jon Evans

Bad, More, While, Bad Ones

Traditional technical interviews are terrible for everyone. They're a bad way for companies to evaluate candidates. They're a bad way for candidates to evaluate companies. They waste time and generate stress on both sides.

- Jon Evans

Stress, Both Sides, Waste, Generate

In theory, the Internet should bring us all closer together and slowly eliminate our differences.

- Jon Evans

Differences, Bring, Should, Slowly

It is probable that Facebook boasts the broadest, deepest, and most comprehensive dataset of human information, interests, and activity ever collected.

- Jon Evans

Facebook, Activity, Probable, Boast

Basically, a manager's job is to make other people more productive. What's one really good way to do that? Do the work that is getting in their way. Which means find out what kind of important work your developers dislike the most, and do it for them.

- Jon Evans

Developers, Other, Dislike, Important Work

I am very happily employed as a full-time software engineer; I travel a lot, and I write books along with this here weekly TechCrunch column; and I still find the time to work on my own software side projects.

- Jon Evans

Here, Full-Time, Very, Weekly

To succeed in the tech industry, you start businesses, make money, and make smart investments. But to succeed in the tech community, you do and build awesome things, are generous with your time and efforts, and make a point of making space for strangers - without any expectation of payback.

- Jon Evans

Expectation, Industry, Your, Generous

The great irony of management is that the higher up you go, the less actual control you have. When you are but a humble coder, you make the computer do exactly what you want; when you're a manager, you only hope that people understand what you want, and then trust/pray that they do it both correctly and in a timely manner.

- Jon Evans

Humble, Irony, Manner, Correctly

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