This is science’s newest Golden Age. Young people today are inspired by generational heroes like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg that were filled in the relative recent past by the likes of Michael Jordan and Mick Jagger. The fact that today’s students can dream of emulating role models who achieved their status using their minds and curiosity is a good thing.

However, there is one significant drawback. The rock star status of today’s scientific celebrities encourages aspiring scientists to focus on the retail possibilities that can result in fast fame and wealth. While understandable, this unwittingly neglects a crucial part of the scientific equation — basic research. Read more…