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pavel_lishinyesterday at 4:46 PM2 repliesview on HN

How do you mean? I cannot remember any particular scientific revolution where scientists were suicidal, or even particularly crestfallen.

Quantum Mechanics is the closest thing I can think of, where Einstein famously refused to accept some of the implications, and where scientists had great disagreements about things like the Copenhagen interpretation and what it means for the actual nature of reality - but I don't think any of them were sad about it.


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ben_wyesterday at 5:21 PM

One of the boldest chapter one introductions I've ever seen comes to mind:

  Ludwig Boltzmann, who spent much of his life studying statistical mechanics, died in 1906, by his own hand. Paul Ehrenfest, carrying on the work, died similarly in 1933. Now it is our turn to study statistical mechanics.
- "States of Matter", David L. Goodstein, https://archive.org/details/statesofmatter0000good_e2n5/page...
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ceejayozyesterday at 4:49 PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Marshall had to drink a beaker of Helicobacter pylori because no one would believe it caused ulcers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignaz_Semmelweis wound up in an insane asylum for suggesting surgeons should wash their hands.

Scientists get hidebound just like the rest of us, at times.

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