In order to be able to read and replicate a journal article you really need an advanced degree or to do all the work it takes to get one. That demographic skews fairly heavily in one direction. Masami Tsuchiya only had a master’s degree and he built an entire functioning chemical weapons factory on a fairly limited budget. That was way back in the 90s too. The worst things you could do now are 10x easier and could wipe out millions or billions.