Thank you so much for your answer! It's sad how hard it is to get this kind of expert opinion, in the age of information. Do you have any site to recommend over Wikipedia?
Having a truly informed opinion is difficult. In the realm of biology, it requires knowing a lot of vocabulary and fundamental systems. However, once that foundation is built, it becomes very easy to educate oneself on any topic within that sphere.
Textbooks are the gold standard -- if you have the time and inclination.
Papers are good for understanding the mechanisms behind why something happens -- but should be taken with a grain of salt.
