[Ads-l] Phrase Origin: A Solution in Search of a Problem

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

I received a request to determine which technology inspired the
creation of the phrase in the subject line. The phrase has been
applied to lasers, electronic computers, nuclear energy,
meteorological satellites, artificial intelligence, bitcoin,
blockchain, and more.

The earliest strong match I found appeared in March 1951 within the
"Journal of the Electrochemical Society". Jerrold R. Zacharias
published a review of a book which discussed the economics of nuclear
power. The title of the review contained the phrase under examination:

[Begin title]
Nuclear Power -- a solution in search of a problem
[End title]

This title reflected Zacharias's contention that the authors of the
book had failed to find an economically advantageous use for nuclear
power:

[Begin excerpt]
If this work were called "Economic Aspects of Cheap Heat," it would be
rightly named and beyond reproach. It seems to a nuclear physicist to
be a fine work on industrial engineering, but it does not find the
problem for which nuclear power is the solution.
[End excerpt]

Here is a link to the QI article:

Phrase Origin: A Solution in Search of a Problem
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2026/02/25/solution-search/

Feedback welcome
Garson O'Toole

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