One has to look back to see how many innovations have been published in the recent decades since the ‘number race’ to produce more research publications began. In the field of geo-sciences, some of the great ideas of 1960s and earlier are still being followed, thanks to a few innovative scientists who produced valuable scientific equipment or technology that allowed better insight to those early ideas. But scientific problems stemming from those early ideas are still at large. Recent publications mostly provide new sets of data based on older ideas, but produced using modern instruments or new technology, giving them some new look. The present competition to publish, therefore, only provides renovation but is not conducive to explore and be innovative.
As the population of scientists increases, the number of people trying to answer specific questions also increases. As a result there is an inevitable increase in the number of papers that will revisit old data sets and as the questioner suggests will 'renovate' old ideas, i.e. wrap them in different 'packages'. This has only a little to do with innovation.
As the total base of knowledge increases there will also be increased insight and hence improved and novel ideas. They may be harder to locate and recognize, but they are nonetheless there. It is incumbent on the researcher to search diligently for those new insights and indeed to provide new ideas to the larger community. Simply complaining about the lack of new ideas, as many of us do, is no substitute for searching for the true innovation, so let us not waste time with it and get to the search for new knowledge, and hopefully greater wisdom.
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