I walk the Infinite Corridor (IC) every morning and each time I marvel at this majestic space. Some years back (1998), a French journalist* wrote a wonderful piece about MIT’s IC which was surprising as the French do not tend to be too positive about anything American – in fact, this article was the most “affectionate” article I read about MIT. What is most noticeable as one walks down the corridor is the history that is displayed in those big panels across both walls of the corridor. However, I keep thinking as I see this history every day that something great is missing. The giants of biology are not there – granted they are still alive (except for Luria) and I hope it’s not that MIT is waiting for them to die before acknowledging their enormous contribution to the Institute and world at large. I am speaking of course of Luria and Baltimore and Sharp and Horvitz whose work gave the Institute an edge in modern molecular biology. Since MIT is preparing to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2011, I thought it may be appropriate to bring this up now so that by 2011, perhaps a piece of that history may be visible from the most defining of MIT spaces, the IC. And perhaps another French journalist will again write an “affectionate” piece about MIT as it is viewed through its uniquely special Infinite Corridor.”

*excerpt from his article: “Traveling down the Infinite Corridor, however, is a far more challenging task. From one end to the other, the Corridor is aswirl with ideas that set children dreaming, and make adults hope they will live long enough to enjoy the new inventions spawning here. It is the kingdom of knowledge, where a casual visitor quickly becomes dizzy and breathless at the headlong pace of science creating our collective future.”

The Infinite Hallway lies at 66.6 degrees… Symbolic of Hell? I have a picture of the Infinite on Google Maps with the degree heading labeled. Where can I send that! ILTFP!!!