Hello from a scientist! I think that I could help you understand that mindset about "being famous and immortal".
Wast majority of the scientists are the people that are generally bad at science. Seriously, people who are good in science make real things, invent for themselves or for the industry.
If you end up in a "public science" you are doomed and molested constantly for decades.
Lousy salary, ugly offices, no security, no funds, constant stress...
And although the atheist, those people become strangled in finding the meaning. And the only meaning can be the devotion to "discovery".
Seriously, after 5 years in science (Ph.D.) + 2 in industrial science, I'm sick of that and I'm out