What does many great discoveries lie in wait for the tools needed to make them mean?

The phrase suggests that significant scientific or technological breakthroughs often remain unrealized until the appropriate tools or methods are developed to uncover them. It implies that the potential for discovery exists, but it is contingent upon advancements in technology, research techniques, or analytical capabilities. Essentially, it highlights the relationship between human ingenuity and the tools we create, emphasizing that progress is often a matter of timing and resource availability.