Edith Heard, a leading authority in epigenetics and director at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, shares her insights on innovation in science. She discusses how stepping out of one's comfort zone fuels creativity and the role of music in her problem-solving process. Edith contrasts the naive optimism seen in US scientific culture with the more rigid European approach. She emphasizes the importance of deep knowledge balanced with humility, and how she patiently stores questions until the right methods emerge to explore them.