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This is very true! The structure of scientific revolutions is an interesting perspective on this, although it focuses on the huge leaps. It talks a lot about how incremental progress and huge leaps into new ways of understanding a science are mutually dependent.
Fun fact, the NSF was founded after WWII to fund basic science just in case it found something with applications.
Unfortunately, the driving force behind it was the DOD, whose idea was that if even 1% of the work funded eventually became relevant to weapons research, then it would be “worth it”. But hey, at least basic science got funded.