Val Fitch’s speech at the Nobel Banquet, December 10, 1980

Your Majesty, Your Royal Highnesses, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Earlier today Professor Ekspong described our research which showed a basic lack of symmetry between matter and antimatter, world and antiworld. He observed that, if from some remote stellar region an alien space craft comes to visit, we now have a few experiments to suggest before shaking hands and possibly reducing ourselves to nothing more than gamma rays.

Such a hypothetical catastrophe only emphasizes the fact that everything on this planet is made of the same substance – it emphasizes the essential unity of every living thing.

Through your efforts these awards have come to signify the best of human endeavor and they promote, probably to a greater extent than any other tradition, the unity of mankind.

Professor Cronin and I express our deepest gratitude for this high honor on this splendid occasion. Thank you very much.