These people went through the process I described above. I'm not saying you need a degree to do scientific work. I'm saying you need to do scientific work to achieve scientifically relevant results.

[–] ameancow@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Also, people seem to have this idea that you're going to come up with an idea or model of physics or an invention and you're just going to get a knock on the door from people in white coats with a briefcase of cash based on the pure beauty of your stoner idea about the shape of the universe or something.

You are literally more likely to win the lottery.

Bruh, you gotta work in life, even being smart you still have to work. You have to not only have your ideas, but you have to do the work to test your models, to prove your ideas and connect those ideas to other working systems. If you develop a new idea, it has to fit into existing science, and that combination becomes a "model" and then you have to prove your model works and that nature behaves as it predicts. This can take a lifetime, it involves not only being active and social and navigating your field, but also reaching out and being open and self-critical and humble. You cannot do it alone, especially as someone who hasn't spent their life making connections and navigating the academic world.

[–] AlexLost@lemmy.world 32 points 2 weeks ago

These aren't coming out of nowhere however. They are obviously being exposed to new material through their education and then extrapolating into some new tangent. These aren't epiphanies that just happen later in life unless you are working to understand these concepts. Not saying it can't be done, it just hasn't been done yet, and every generation builds upon the foundation of what came before it.

[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 13 points 2 weeks ago

And this would be larger with better education.

Because it's not always about the "potential of the student" if there's no support or validation.

Finland didn't have a gifted program, you're not supposed to be better at anything than others. Except in sports, where it's the whole thing.

There were special programs for slow kids. But none for fast ones.

First grade teacher put me in an empty classroom to read by myself when everyone else was just learning what sounds different letters make.