I spent six years tracking bison across Yellowstone. Six years of mud, GPS collars, and the kind of cold that seeps into your bones. The data was supposed to tell a story about the land healing itself, about bison making the grass grow back stronger. But all I remember is how many times I re-ran the numbers, convinced I’d missed something, anything, that would make the work feel worth it. My advisor called the findings 'incredible.' I just felt hollow. I watched the bison migrate, season after season, while I sat in the lab, stuck. They moved. I didn’t. Everyone loves the idea of discovery. No one talks about the cost. I’m not sure I’d pay it again. #Science #ScienceFatigue #FieldworkBurnout