umm. they owned a bycicle shop, which I think makes sense. not farm boys. I also think that the reason so much has happened in such little time is because:
a. one invention leads to many others
b. the population exploded because life was easier to live because of these inventions, thus more people to make more discoveries.
If you add them together it kinda makes sense. I believe the rate of important discoveries and inventions will keep rising till we get thrown back into another dark age.
edit: were of topic