Nick, if you take the time to read about scientists who went against popular opinion those who were in opposition were opposed from pride, not because they are scientists.
Copernicus prevailed because of DATA and was opposed by the RCC not his peers, Darwin prevailed because science was becoming the god of this world and men were seeking a naturalistic explanation for mankind.
When HIV was becoming a pandemic in the U.S. the blood industry refused to accept HIV can be transmitted via contaminated blood, not because this could not be scientifically proven but because of the expense involved to test donors. Some African cultures refused to accept HIV is sexually transmitted because this required a major change in cultural traditions. What convinced the blood industry was the deaths of people who received contaminated blood and some African nations still refuse to believe science.
Publish or perish is alive and well in academia and any professor who wants to retain his job must publish and publisher will only publish established theory. Why, money.