Further to “Higgs boson discoverer wouldn’t get job today?” (his own assessment), here’s an interesting piece on teamwork, focusing in large part on scientists and teamwork:
The engineers lamented the lack of individualism in their profession and the doctors seemed annoyed by teamwork, but the scientists I spoke to about it were downright pissed. “Scientists are lemmings.” one biochemist told me. “They’re teamwork at its worst. They’re a mob.” He went on to tell me that his day consists of trying out ridiculous hypothesis after ridiculous hypothesis and when he’s finally successful, his peers viciously attack his findings trying to find a hole. When the data proves him right, everyone jumps onboard and wants to be part of the findings.
He told me when you hear of scientific teams working on a project, it’s usually one leader and several glorified employees. …
What about Watson and Crick?
“That’s a myth,” one chemist explained. “Crick made those discoveries on his own. He was frustrated because not only were his peers dubious of his theory. They couldn’t even understand it. Watson was going through the same problem. When they met each other the attitude was, ‘Finally, someone as crazy as me.’” They were rewarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine together in 1962.
Does this sound on the money?
Note: Some politically incorrect stuff if you read the whole thing, so read at your own risk.