What good is it?

In 1936, an obscure researcher named Alexander Fleming presented his work at the Second International Congress of Microbiology in London. His first presentation was on the discovery of a mold called Penicillium. His second? An odd invention of a microbe painting. The latter used a wire loop to carefully create an aesthetic of microorganisms in art form. Both presentations fell flat. The science community ignored Fleming and his discoveries.

When Queen Mary was shown a moldy Union Jack meticulously painted by Fleming for her visit, her response was not exactly full of praise. “Yes, but what good is it?”

Fleming would go on to win the Nobel Prize in 1945 for his work in medicine, but his earlier microbial paintings did not make a convincing case.

It’s a gut punch to pour resources into work only to meet a wall of rejection. By asking “what good is it?” beforehand, the work stands a better chance of resonating.