That quote at the end: Einstein was only partly right. To do science at the highest level, you need <i>both</i> to be smart, <i>and</i> to be doggedly persistent in your investigations.,(reply>), @JustAnotherFella You could make the argument that you need to be smart and lucky to be at the top, but no way you can make a convincing argument that you need to be smart OR lucky to be at the top of a scientific field.  If you actually believe that I'd assert you've never taken any advanced STEM courses because no way in hell can you make your way through even one of those on luck.,(reply>), Some lucky breaks are quite/very often a factor also.