How realistic is it to AIM for a career as a senior academic researcher today?

Research feels almost like a vocation to me because what motivates me most is the possibility of contributing new knowledge. If that contribution isn't realistic, I'm not sure pursuing science would make sense for me. For context, I am now considering neuroscience, or maybe molecular genetics.
I don't see myself in clinical practice or teaching in secondary school. What I hope for is a career centred on research, ideally combined with university teaching, scientific writing and public engagement.

From your experience, is this still a realistic ambition today? Does academia still allow people to spend most of their careers doing meaningful research, or has the reality changed so much that I should rethink my expectations? If you were advising an 18-year-old with this motivation, would you still encourage them to pursue this path?