While the link between science and innovation is well established, prior research typically treats science as a homogeneous input into technological search. In this paper, I challenge that view by examining how heterogeneity in scientific knowledge shapes the way firms engage with and benefit from science. I distinguish between a quest for fundamental understanding and a consideration for use. I find that although the overall decline in corporate science has leveled off over the past two decades, research oriented toward a quest for fundamental understanding has continued to fall—both in firms’ own scientific output and in how they draw on such science in technological development. Yet, technologies that integrate scientific knowledge combining both fundamental understanding and practical considerations outperform all others. These findings highlight that the nature, not merely the presence, of scientific engagement matters for corporate innovation and technological progress.