Similarly, VC sets barrels of money on fire.

And depending on how you look at it, science itself is experimentation, but at least it mostly results in publications in the end, that may or may not be read, but at least serve as records of areas explored.

I think your take covers science too.

Scientists and mathematicians often burn barrels of time and unpublished ideas, not to mention following their curiosities into random pursuits, that give their subconscious the free space to crystalize slippery insights.

With their publishable work somehow gelling out of all that.