Scientific breakthroughs happen to individuals who are actively engaged in the work and constantly thinking about the problem.

“Chance favors the prepared mind and the idea is that great scientific breakthroughs don't just happen they happen to people who are toiling in the lab failing failing failing trying again trying again — constantly thinking about the problem and yes usually something lucky happens that that trips them in the direction of a discovery it's it's often very very much an accident — but that accident can't happen if you're not on the field that accident doesn't happen if you're in the stands”