Since the era of Eratosthenes and Ptolemy, advances in science and mathematics have required data in excess of our ability to compute it readily.

FORBES: Why Big Data Is Getting The Bully Treatment

Bob Cater noted that while there has been a positive increase in the number of pupils studying mathematics after the age of 16, advances in the number of people studying science, design and technology and engineering have only been modest.

BBC: Enterprise and learning committee