It is also considered an endangered craft. Some scientific instruments, if broken, cannot realistically be replaced in any reasonable time frame (or sometimes even at all).
People who take up glassblowing as a hobby are closer to being crucial to the world economy than most.
Just something to chew on.
It isn’t like mind blowing or anything. But it sure is something.
Im not saying a person only has merit if they’re a cog in the global economy.
Its just interesting to me that a traditional craft that mostly gets taken up as a hobby or used to make little tchotchkes is so vital and yet undervalued.
Edit: Also the fact that modern science is done with stuff made by artisans is a cool contrast.