Well put, MacSpadger.
The popular author (like John Prebble) has a role to play in disseminating information that is almost as important as that played by the researchers who have published papers.
Researchers publish their work in journals that are read by other academics, not John Public.
It takes a Prebble to bring this material to light.
Robert Ardrey was not a scientist – in fact his claim to fame was that he wrote plays.
But he popularised a trend in scientific thinking through his books starting with The Territorial Imperative.
Much of the material he put forth in his early books was contradicted by his later writing. This because archæology, palæontology and the sum of knowledge of early humanoids developed markedly during the time in which he was writing.
Without Prebble, the issues he wrote about might have remained in dusty journals, and not come up in public debate.
It is useful to focus on his errors, because he is far from perfect. But he revitalised public interest in the Scottish past in a revolutionary way.
Regards,
Mike