Scientific progress goes 'boink'
OK, sci-tech geeks, we are in a lot of trouble. According to a new study that came out yesterday, Americans know a lot less about science that was previously thought -- in most cases, not enough to even make an informed decision based on scientific facts.
According to USA Today: "Only 26% believe that they themselves have a good understanding of science. And 44% couldn't identify a single scientist, living or dead, whom they'd consider a role model for the nation's young people."
I can think of three right off the top of my head -- Stephen Hawking, Gregor Mendel and, uh, Albert Einstein -- and if you give me another minute, I'll have another 5 more. What does this say about our culture, that people are so woefully misinformed and choose to live in Ostrich Town rather than crack a science book?
"American adults surveyed take a dim view of the USA's status as a world science leader. 70% believe the USA is not now the world leader in science achievement. 35% believe the USA will be the world science leader in the next 20 years. 79% agree that science is not receiving the attention it deserves in schools."
Want to know how you stack up? The National Science Foundation created this mostly true-false quiz to test your knowledge of general topics (answers below):
1. The center of the Earth is very hot.
2. All radioactivity is man-made.
3. It is the father’s gene that decides whether the baby is a boy or a girl.
4. Lasers work by focusing sound waves.
5. Electrons are smaller than atoms.
6. Antibiotics kill viruses as well as bacteria.
7. The universe began with a huge explosion.
8. The continents on which we live have been moving their location for millions of years and will continue to move in the future.
9. Human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals.
10. Does the Earth go around the Sun, or does the Sun go around the Earth?
11. How long does it take for the Earth to go around the sun?
(1. True, 2. False, 3. True, 4. False, 5. True, 6. False, 7. True, 8. True, 9. True, 10. Earth around Sun, 11. One year)
I got all 11 right, plus the extra points I awarded myself for knowing that the Earth actually takes 365.25 days to go around the sun, hence the existence of the leap year. How'd you do?
According to USA Today: "Only 26% believe that they themselves have a good understanding of science. And 44% couldn't identify a single scientist, living or dead, whom they'd consider a role model for the nation's young people."
I can think of three right off the top of my head -- Stephen Hawking, Gregor Mendel and, uh, Albert Einstein -- and if you give me another minute, I'll have another 5 more. What does this say about our culture, that people are so woefully misinformed and choose to live in Ostrich Town rather than crack a science book?
"American adults surveyed take a dim view of the USA's status as a world science leader. 70% believe the USA is not now the world leader in science achievement. 35% believe the USA will be the world science leader in the next 20 years. 79% agree that science is not receiving the attention it deserves in schools."
Want to know how you stack up? The National Science Foundation created this mostly true-false quiz to test your knowledge of general topics (answers below):
1. The center of the Earth is very hot.
2. All radioactivity is man-made.
3. It is the father’s gene that decides whether the baby is a boy or a girl.
4. Lasers work by focusing sound waves.
5. Electrons are smaller than atoms.
6. Antibiotics kill viruses as well as bacteria.
7. The universe began with a huge explosion.
8. The continents on which we live have been moving their location for millions of years and will continue to move in the future.
9. Human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals.
10. Does the Earth go around the Sun, or does the Sun go around the Earth?
11. How long does it take for the Earth to go around the sun?
(1. True, 2. False, 3. True, 4. False, 5. True, 6. False, 7. True, 8. True, 9. True, 10. Earth around Sun, 11. One year)
I got all 11 right, plus the extra points I awarded myself for knowing that the Earth actually takes 365.25 days to go around the sun, hence the existence of the leap year. How'd you do?
Labels: genetics, knowledge, lasers, science, science quiz, universe
This entry was posted by Amber, on Thursday, August 14, 2008. You can
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