The current structure of science funding would make Max Perutz's work impossible and Perutz unemployed:
"Max, inspired by Bernal's vision that the structure of large and complex molecules such as proteins could be solved using X-ray diffraction, embarked on scaling a mountain in biology—solving the structure of haemoglobin. This was to take him more than 20 years."
https://www.embopress.org/doi/full/10.1093/embo-reports/kvf103
@cyrilpedia thanks for posting, it’s always fun and inspiring to read about this generation of scientists (while of course recognizing that the structure of modern science does not allow pretty much anyone to work on a 20-year problem!)
@mcsymbiont Also worth remembering that Perutz, like many of his generation, was a refugee.
@cyrilpedia indeed, it is remarkable how many of the greats from that generation were refugees, or fought in the war, or both.