This “lone genius” myth is not only wrong, it may harm science as a discipline. He believed that a successful scientist should be able to figure out everything alone, and since he was unable to do this, he decided to abandon science completely. Although some organizations such as the American Association for Cancer Research and the Lupus Research Alliance now offer team science awards, this remains the exception, rather than the norm. As the questions that we seek to answer grow increasingly complex, we must work towards recognizing the value of collaborations in science and reward teams, not just individuals. By perpetuating the “lone genius” myth, we do young scientists a disservice and lose valuable members of the scientific community.

Source: The Guardian May 25, 2023 04:26 UTC