Corn is an efficient way to get energy calories off the land and soybeans are an efficient way of getting protein off the land so we've designed a food system that produces a lot of cheap corn and soybeans resulting in a lot of cheap fast food.
Instead of having to be a member of the Royal Society to do science the way you had to be in England in the 17th 18th centuries today pretty much anybody who wants to do it can and the information that they need to do it is there.