Success stories in biotechnology, such as novel treatments, cutting-edge vaccines, and ground-breaking gene-editing equipment, often make headlines. However, the innumerable failed efforts that led to those successes are hardly discussed.
Failure is frequent in laboratory work; it is not the exception. The approach involves constant troubleshooting, unreliable outcomes, and contaminated cultures. But more than any textbook ever could, these failures teach perseverance, patience, and critical thinking.
Iteration is the foundation of scientific advancement. Every unsuccessful attempt strengthens the experimental design and improves the hypothesis. In many respects, the lab serves as a classroom for both intellectual and emotional growth.
Are we ignoring the silent persistence that really propels scientific advancement if we just applaud results that have been published?
That’s such an important point. We often celebrate the “big wins” in biotech, but the daily grind of failed experiments is what really shapes scientists. Every contamination, every inconclusive result, forces you to rethink and refine. Those moments build resilience and sharpen problem‑solving skills in ways success alone never could. If we only applaud published breakthroughs, we risk overlooking the persistence and quiet determination that actually drive progress. In many ways, the failures are the true teachers of science
By celebrating only published successes, we erase the quiet resilience that actually drives science forward. Failed experiments, repeated troubleshooting, and long stretches of uncertainty are not detours; they are the process. This silent persistence sharpens judgment, builds rigor, and ultimately turns curiosity into credible discovery. If we ignore it, we misunderstand how science truly advances.