[guitarbill]

I think the experiments in the different field highlight this. Particle physics experiments keep getting bigger and more expensive (LHC, Kamiokande, etc). For condensed matter, you can give an undergrad liquid helium for experiments with superconductors, which will show QFT phenomena like quasi-particles. Even looking at symmetry breaking in condensed matter doesn't require (comparatively) huge experimental setups.

I don't think it's a stretch to say that if more people are actively experimenting and thinking about problems in a field, the more likely new results are going to be found. (That's not to say particle physics experiments aren't useful.)