The field of scientific research is undergoing a significant shift, with a growing emphasis on applied research and a corresponding marginalization of basic scientists. Despite this trend, recent studies have highlighted the crucial role that basic scientists play in driving innovation and discovery. The involvement of basic scientists has been shown to substantially increase citation impact, particularly in applied contexts, due to their intellectual leadership in conceptualization, writing, and experimental design. Furthermore, research has revealed that collaboration architecture and synergy, rather than team size, are key drivers of scientific disruption. Notably, female scientists have been found to demonstrate higher knowledge production stability and persistence advantages under certain conditions, although these patterns vary across disciplines. Overall, the field is moving towards a greater recognition of the importance of basic scientists and the need for effective support and policy guidance to sustain the foundations of discovery and innovation. Noteworthy papers in this area include: The paper introducing the application score metric, which provides large-scale evidence for the indispensable role of basic scientists. The study on temporal patterns of gender differences in scientific knowledge creation, which reveals a striking paradox in career dynamics for female scientists.