They just don't enjoy the beach anymore.

350 odd years ago a fellow by the name of Isaac Newton said something interesting about his experience with science:

“I was like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.”

Now Isaac Newton was not a 'soft' scientist, but I think he enjoyed the whole business rather more than today's joyless politico scientists, who can't think of science for a moment without conjuring up some straw man political opponent who stands between them and their next project funding.

The BBC, as usual, has a fine specimen of that species here.