[munificent]

> So if you want to truly do something that no one has done before, do something obscure, do something time-consuming, do something difficult, and do something that has unknowns you’ll only resolve once you complete the first bits.

This is an excellent checklist for doing something novel, but it doesn't provide any guidance towards doing something valuable that's original.

I don't think anyone has tried to build an ocean-going floating platform for raising wolverines for the pet trade, and that certainly checks everything on the checklist. Likewise composing a seven-part symphonic cycle written for bagpipe, slide whistle, and djembe with aleatoric and audience-participation components. Or inventing a way to knit edible garments out of extremely gluten-rich pasta. Training ravens to play Roblox games.

But are those worthwhile projects? I suppose there's only one way to find out.

[Isamu]

Actually knitting pasta sounds pretty worthwhile.

[steve_adams_86]

I want lasagna in which the sheets are actually knitted linguini. I think this novelty would be worthwhile. But would the Italians ever forgive me?

[munificent]

Woven would be much much easier.

[doodlebugging]

I'm not Italian but I would help you eat it if you made a large enough batch. I'll bring the olive bread and herbed dipping oils.

[dimatura]

Yeah, that's the main challenge in research. Once you get immersed in an area, it's not that hard to come up with ideas that haven't been done before. It's also not that hard to do things that improve the performance of some method or system, at least by a little. It can be fairly hard to do things that are both novel and actually useful.

(I'd give that symphonic cycle a listen though).