[heimatau]

> There have been countless times that I was working on some formula which looked good to me, and even had correct results (some of the time), only to find that it was completely backwards when someone else looked at.

I think many people forget that THIS is what a Scientist is. Someone subjected to their peers. This humble way of looking at things (that our work isn't accepted until it's verified/peer-reviewed), is our way of life. It's a shame to me that the current culture has a massive backlog of research, without peer review.

I'm grateful for your reply as it will give others insight into the 'less trodden path' of trying things yourself. It worked for you, so that should motive others. And hopefully I added to the conversation to encourage others to seek out peers/mentors, since that will accelerate their learning.