[NebulaStorm456]

There are people who are experts in a generalist sense. When a new field opens up, they quickly snatch up the opportunity and make immense progress and name for themselves in the evolving field. So in this case the first author is the mouse who ate the cheese and died.

[Modified3019]

>is the mouse who ate the cheese and died.

I don’t follow what this means

[NebulaStorm456]

Sorry, I should have said he died in the process of getting the cheese while the second mouse got the cheese.

The phrase "the second mouse gets the cheese" means that it can be beneficial to let others take the initial risk, as the first to act might trigger a negative outcome, leaving the opportunity for the second person to succeed without the same danger. I

[chrisweekly]

They're referencing a famous book / parable about navigating change in business, "Who Moved My Cheese"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Moved_My_Cheese%3F