As a mathematician, there is always the risk that another human mathematician solves the problem before you.

Usually peopla have research lines that are sets of related problems, you must publish one or two paper per year, it's not possible to wait 10 years to publish a big one, or 30 to retire after admitting defeat.

Do you mean to claim that the years of research mathematicians, or scientists in any other fields, don't lead to saving lives?