I think a lot of early scientists and inventors got embroiled in patent disputes and lawsuits etc. In UK, mainland Europe too. Say what you might, money is a big motivator and that is what kept US going. Altruism is all fine for occasional gestures like not patenting some medicine or stuff like that but sustained innovation is basically a profit chasing exercise. And patents are its biggest enabler.
Anyway my comment was in the context of speed of innovation. Humanity that struggled to get a cycle going for 50 years managed to fly in the next 10 years and within the next 50, intercontinental regular passenger flights were common!
Anyway my comment was in the context of speed of innovation. Humanity that struggled to get a cycle going for 50 years managed to fly in the next 10 years and within the next 50, intercontinental regular passenger flights were common!