I would go a step further and say that the value of specific scientific discoveries (even if no bullshit is involved) can often not be evaluated until decades later. Moreover, I would argue that trying to measure scientific value is in fact an effort to try to quantify something unquantifiable.

At the same time, academics have been increasingly been evaluated by some metrics to show value for money. This has let to some schizophrenic incentive structures. Most professor level academics are spending probably around 30% of their time on writing grants, evaluating grants and reporting on grants. Moreover, the evaluation criteria also often demand that work should be innovative, "high risk/high reward" and "breakthrough science", but at the same time feasible (and often you should show preliminary work), which I would argue is a contradiction. This naturally leads to academics overselling their results. Even more so because you are also supposed to show impact.

The main reason for all this IMO is the reduced funding for academic research in particular considering the number of academics that are around. So everyone is competing for a small pot, which makes those that play to the (broken) incentives, the most successful.