One of the most difficult questions a scientist must resolve is which problem to investigate. An especially critical aspect of this process is getting the timing right. When you start working on a new problem, it always takes time to get the experimental system working. Then you have to get your data, write it up, and publish. By this point, years can have gone by, and what was cutting edge when you started may have become passé.
The converse can also be true. If you are addressing a novel question in a new field of research, you can certainly avoid the danger of being scooped by your competitors. However, you face the more significant risk of being ignored. If a scientist publishes a paper in an empty field, does it make a sound?
Historically, the scientific community has tended to ignore science that is too innovative or ahead of its ...
