Scientific progress.

We are not discoverring any new laws of physics, string theory has been in the hypothesis stage since the mid 70s and things like DNA and computers are just complex arrangements of existing knowledge.

Has science reached the point where the only thing left to do is invent?

It's because these days scientists work in groups and don't socialise much with the ignorant masses. (talking about science is taboo, anyone notice that? People don't want to feel dumb.) This automatically excludes any of those 1800-era rich eccentrics that used to do shit back then.