How is it possible that often smart people in science are so bad at making money from their work?

Elementary, my dear Watson!!

And the big honchos in this Science Research industry know all this pretty well.

Conclusion:

• 1.- Turn yourself into a disposable, untalented & unscrupulous middleman agent or manager or merchant of true talent to make tons of money.

or

• 2.- Even better, become yourself into an entrepreneur mogul within the Science publishing industry.