http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-a-search-for-new-talent-has-shaped-american-science-1459522571?mod=WSJ_article_EditorsPicks_3

The Internet allows easy access to information at the frontiers of knowledge, and modern technology helps to put the gathering and analysis of data within the reach of modest budgets.

*Expanded opportunity for many more people. You can learn a lot with a very modest budget it you invest in Internet access and invest time exploring.