The rabbit hole goes very deep with these questions. For example, you left out above the other half of the equation: inventions. Our creative ability. Is that just more pattern recognition? And can discovery and invention be always cleanly teased apart? Also, what humans might have access to is something that is more simple than we imagine. Mystics and philosophers have tried to point towards it. One book that discusses these things in the context of western science and philosophy is Nature Likes to Hide: https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Loves-Hide-Quantum-Perspective...
I would argue that invention is the same thing, yes - identifying patterns in the environment that can be exploited for productive purposes.
FWIW I think it's not a coincidence that LSD - which kicks pattern matching capabilities of the brain into high gear, so to speak - is commonly used as a drug to boost both "creativity" and "inventiveness".
