The problem is, that in the real world, normalisation is hard. Third normal form is usually pretty good, except in some cases where you would have so many different tables for small relations that it's easy to get performance issues.

So, de-normalise a bit, make the query more simple, gain some performance. Great.... except, then later on, you have a different use case for the same data and that de-normalisation has just made the new statements more complex than it should be to get rid of the extra data in the result set.

This is just looking from the perspective of relational theory, and not the tool to extract the data (SQL).

Just remember Marissa Mayer when at Yahoo.

She stops people working from home, making some of them lose their jobs who were looking after children, and she sets up private day care for herself.

Remember - Different rules for the little people.

To illustrate your point. Someone I worked with for a number of years is now working for a large multinational organisation as a contractor, and has worked there for about 5 years, in a couple of slightly different positions.

A full time job position opened up in management, and he applied. He knew everyone in the department and worked well with them. He was already doing the same work that the job entailed. He had other work history that made him a good match for the position. He didn't get the job. HR rejected is application even before it got to his department's management. Reason? He didn't have a degree. What did he need a degree in? Anything, it didn't matter, but it had to be a degree. As far as I'm aware, the position is still open after a year.

If you're big enough to be able to have the resources in house, then I 100% agree, not way can paying for a service be cheaper.

For smaller companies that can't afford to have people with the skill sets required for their technologies, then it can be worth while. You'd not only be paying for the service, but also paying for the (hopefully) technical expertise needed to support that service.

I remember long ago when I worked for a large vendor, some small companies would use the support services for training and help to do basic activities that they should have been able to do themselves. They lacked the trained staff to do so.
 

In general, there are more undiscovered species than discovered. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/110824-earths-species-8-7-million-biology-planet-animals-science

True, there are probably less undiscovered species in Antarctica than other places. The interesting part this is not in the summary is that it dries up and is dormant, and then comes back to life with snow melt. Unrelated to it being a new species, the article states that Antartica is being greening and this is contributed to climate change. That's a bit more interesting that a new species being found.