Why do you think so? People are famous throughout history because they leave behind (or are associated with) big achievements which form a "node" in the histor

Why do you think so? People are famous throughout history because they leave behind (or are associated with) big achievements which form a "node" in the history of science. If you prove them wrong, the node you leave behind is also important. Scientists (and most people in general) want do important work. There's also the scientific benefit that overturning a generally held idea usually precipitates a large amount of new and fruitful study afterwards.