[dragonwriter]

People are still creating new languages in academic contexts -- and ones which go on to have influence outside of the academy -- now. Likewise, I'm sure even in the 1970s, someone's thesis advisor told them it had all been done.

You're trying to compare different times, but its getting confused because you're actually comparing one incident now to an aggregate impression of the "1970s" (though, from the 3 specific examples cited, the "1970s" you are talking about are really something like 1958-1973.)