[ubershmekel]

You damn well know you can more easily dab on positive findings.

There should probably be a Nobel Prize for null findings to fix the incentive structure. But how do you grade and compare the different null findings? By effort? The ramifications of a null finding are likely more limited.

[pgeorgi]

Since Nobel Prizes are rather detached from the discovery at hands, it might be possible to evaluate the impact of null findings on later positive findings.

Essentially: when awarding a Nobel Prize, map out which null findings narrowed the path sufficiently to support the Nobel Prize worthy work, and give them recognition as "supporting acts".