The scientists were paid equivalent of professional athletes getting paid today

[Shumali]

In heydays of Isam, the scientists were paid equivalent of professional athletes getting paid today sun

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam#Golden_Age
Golden Age
The Tabula Rogeriana, drawn by Al-Idrisi in 1154, one of the most advanced ancient world maps. Al-Idrisi also wrote about the diverse Muslim communities found in various lands.

This era is sometimes called the "Islamic Golden Age". Public hospitals established during this time (called Bimaristan hospitals), are considered "the first hospitals" in the modern sense of the word, and issued the first medical diplomas to license doctors. The Guinness World Records recognizes the University of Al Karaouine, founded in 859, as the world's oldest degree-granting university. The doctorate is argued to date back to the licenses to teach in Muslim law schools. Standards of experimental and quantification techniques, as well as the tradition of citation, were introduced. An important pioneer in this, Ibn Al-Haytham is regarded as the father of the modern scientific method and often referred to as the "world?s first true scientist". The government paid scientists the equivalent salary of professional athletes today. The data used by Copernicus for his heliocentric conclusions was gathered and Al-Jahiz proposed a theory of natural selection. Rumi wrote some of the finest Persian poetry and is still one of the best selling poets in America. Legal institutions introduced include the trust and charitable trust (Waqf).

[Mikebloke]

Ultimately advancement only goes as far as one is willing to pay, most scientists in the modern world fulfill private sector needs and conditions, and are paid by such. Its also why most have the end stage of reaching a material product to be sold for profit. Private sector research has its benefits, and probably faster than state sponsored, but fails sometimes in its moral responsibilities.

To be fair, most athletes as well only get a portion of their salary by government grants, the vast majority is from advertisement contracts, and few athletes are able to compete at professional level without both.