The very existence of an “intellectual community” is the reason that most scientists don’t accomplish anything. Trying to solve other people’s challenges and correct others’ inefficiencies is not how great discoveries are made – it never will be. It’s necessary, but it’s a barrier to significant scientific discovery.

Great scientists make observations, form hypotheses, and perform experiments (theoretical ones at the least) to confirm them. They don’t solve challenges left by other scientists’ work; that’s what people who simply want lots of publications do, because it’s easier.