Appearance supersedes function and reality. Or in simple terms, if it looks or sounds funky, it makes sense. It's not necessarily a bad rule. Someone once told George Lucas that there were no sound effects in airless outer space. Today Mr. Lucas owns a multi-million dollar entertainment enterprise, while that other person runs a moisture evaporator on Tattooine.
Brilliant scientists are universally knowledgeable in all fields of scientific study.
There is no such thing as specialization. Come to think of it , he never did get around to studying the marine life in the area, the one thing about the island that should have fascinated him. Kind of like the way our parents used to lie to us when we were five. Well, I mean . Remember that any device improvised or jury-rigged, out of available materials on short notice, will work at least as well as or better than the actual device whose function it is meant to emulate or replace.