(10-28-2019 10:08 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Also, some apparently illogical random constraint that says that despite the market, can't pay market rates for market-grade talent because, wah, that's more than some professors (or the Prez) makes, so we will instead ignore reality and pretend.

You certainly don't discover buckyballs with that kind of attitude

Buckyballs actually were discovered with that type of attitude. It was pure accident and happenstance. The story I heard from some of the post-docs and students under Smalley made it clear that 'hold my beer' 'Florida resident headline worthy' acts can lead to utterly Nobel-worthy results.