spatiok

Un
Cygpal lon
ISTITUTO DI GENETICA MEDICA hi

DELL’UNIVERSITA

VIA CHERASCO 15 — TORINO

Milan, 5 November 1959.

Dr. J. Lederberg
Department of Genetics
Stanford University
Stanford -— Calif.

Dear Joshua,

I must thank you for the very useful informations about
spacial contamination. As you requested I have not quoted you
directly. The subject is very interesting, but after having
read for the first time some books on astrophysics, I have
reached the conclusion that the problem of life is after all
rather trivial in comparison with the real question : what
is the Universe.

Your sentence "L'asportazione dei cervelli é@ sempre

controproducente" is becoming famous and has been quoted by

a number of newspapers which are campaining for the necessi-
ty of improuving scientific education in Italy. Unfortunate-
ly that is not the opinion of the "barons" of our Universities
and in the concerso hor the chairs of Genetics, only Luca has
good chances of 3; the other two winners shall be old-
timer ignorabimus. Knowing our Universities that is a great
success (i.e. that at least, they do not dare to refuse Inca).

Please present our best regards to Esther. Thank you
again.

Sincerely yours

fogpr