> Could a community of hobbyists who share the same obsession make progress? That's a very good point and worthy of its own essay. I'm thinking of how even th

> Could a community of hobbyists who share the same obsession make progress? That's a very good point and worthy of its own essay. I'm thinking of how even though there are more scientists working than ever, breakthroughs are still rare. Maybe combining Paul's idea with the idea of bringing such people together via forums/communities would accelerate progress? (And no, I don't think academic labs count). Ah, maybe something like the Polymath Project: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath_Project https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath_Project