Almost: most of the history of physics is based on detectors being sensitive to things people didn't even know existed. Fits and starts based on happy accidents

Almost: most of the history of physics is based on detectors being sensitive to things people didn't even know existed. Fits and starts based on happy accidents. The teleology of scientific progress is a myth. The most famous example is of course the Galilean moons. Proposing detectors for particles that no one is even sure can exist is like setting up traps for Bigfoot...