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Tesla is a bad example for almost any given point, but in this case it's relevant to note that he was not a scientist, and his funding model did not work.

> Are there still any people like that in physics? Legendary scientists/engineers who run there own lab and just make cool stuff?

That's pretty much what I've been going for. Got my PhD in Chemical Engineering and an MBA, and now I'm starting my lab - or "startup", here - in pursuit of my research, basically into strong AI.

Bootstrapping is an interesting process. I mean, I have to keep the lights on somehow, though there's an inherent conflict-of-interests between keeping the lights on and doing the core work that the lights are there for.

Still, what can one do beyond keeping at it?

David E. Shaw. Note that before he returned to his scientific passions he had to make a fortune, because creating new things at the cutting edge is a lot more expensive now than at the end of the 19th century.

Maybe on YouTube. Or the children of Russian/ Chinese mobsters