Think about it practically: scientists have HUGE incentive to discover some big fundamental change in the current thinking (superstar status, Nobel Prize, really cool things named after you, etc.) finding out new things is their JOB. Tons of scientists do what they do because they love it--they dedicate their lives to it--and it's very common for a researcher to work over 80 hours a week.

Unfortunately it seems the public at large does not realize how creative science is. Scientists are trained to do things that have never been done before--to discover new things--and so far they've done an unbelievably good job at it. If you study physics, and you understand it, and you understand how accurate it's predictions are--there's no way you won't be in awe of it. Who is more likely to make a huge discovery like this, some guy in a shed on the weekends who doesn't know what he's doing or ten people who dedicate their lives to science? I know who I'd bet on.