In my day, no scientist would have used such language. Scientists have used such language for a long time. Einstein said, "God does not play dice with the universe." Carl Sagan said, "For small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love."
And, finally, from Marie Curie, "A scientist in his laboratory is not a mere technician: he is also a child confronting natural phenomena that impress him as though they were fairy tales."
Einstein was using a metaphor to express his skepticism about quantum physics. As for Sagan, he was not really a scientist. Marie Curie was figuratively expressing her sense of wonder at new and unexpected discoveries. That's not the same as making absurd statements about "literally[sic]touching ghosts," or using childish language like "teeniest." Did Einstein say that his theory of relativity exposed "teeny" errors in Newtonian mechanics? DId Curie say that radioactivity was the evidence of ghosts?