A particularly original event took place in May 1978 at Cornell Hospital, where George Papanicolaou spent the greater part of his scientific life: a plane tree, originating from the historical plane tree of Hippocrates in the island of Kos, was planted in the garden of the Hospital. Among the Greek and American officials who honoured the ceremony with their presence, were the Archbishop of Nothern and Southern America Mr Iakovos, the Greek ambassador Mr Papoulias, the spouse of G. Papanicolaou, Mahi and a lot of colleagues and friends.
