In the Guardian, Ian McEwan writes beautifully, as always, about the passion involved in scientific discovery, and the drive to establish priority. While it is a refrain among scientists that they are only interested in the work, and gaining a better understanding of nature, it would be hard to believe that, on a personal level, we don't care deeply about the recognition of our own contributions. McEwan illustrates this with two of the most revered and successful scientists - Darwin and Einstein. On realizing, surprisingly, his fear of being scooped by Wallace, Darwin wrote