Science in America

[Flag]

This is both shocking and sad. Our education system (specifically for science) needs a major overhaul.

70% of American adults do not understand the scientific process;

U.S. depends heavily on foreign born scientists at all degree levels, as high as 45% in engineering;

Belief in pseudoscience is relatively widespread and growing;

60% believe some people posses psychic powers or extrasensory perception (ESP);

30% believe some reported objects in the sky are really space vehicles from other civilizations;

30% read astrology charts at least occasionally in the newspaper;

46% did not know how long it takes the Earth to orbit the sun (1 year);

45% thought lasers work by focusing sound waves (they focus light);

49% believe antibiotics kill viruses (they kill bacteria);

66% don't believe the Big Bang theory is widely accepted by scientists;

48% believe humans lived at the same time as the dinosaurs;

47% don't believe in evolution which is widely accepted by scientists;

55% couldn't define DNA;

78% couldn't define a molecule;

32% believe in 'Lucky Numbers';

45% want creationism taught in schools and not evolution;

42% believe houses can be haunted;

38% believe in ghosts or spirits of dead people;

28% believe people can communicate with the dead;

28% believe in astrology.

Resources:

National Science Foundation
The Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSC)
People For the American Way Foundation
"Americans' Belief in Psychic Paranormal Phenomena is up Over Last Decade", Gallup Organization (Princeton, NJ, 2001).

 

[Galatia]

Originally posted by Flag
60% believe some people posses psychic powers or extrasensory perception (ESP);

28% believe in astrology.

Whether we believe it or not people do posess *psychic powers and extrasensory perception* - scientifically speaking they are using the other side of their brains more than the average human.

As for astrology, I assume that you are among those who dont *believe* and i would like to ask you what do you know about astrology? What do you think astrology is?

 

[Flag]

Whether we believe it or not people do posess *psychic powers and extrasensory perception* - scientifically speaking they are using the other side of their brains more than the average human.

Quite a bold statement. Please define your meaning of "psychic powers and extrasensory perception". If you mean it to be things where a human is able to communicate with the dead, or move objects with his mind, or know the future.. etc.. please provide solid evidence.

As for astrology, I assume that you are among those who dont *believe* and i would like to ask you what do you know about astrology? What do you think astrology is?

Basic dictionary definition:

The study of the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs.

What do I think of it? Well most astrologists in my experience believe that as the planets and stars move around their gravity has some sort effect on different people. You're apparently given a "sign" at birth and as the planets move around they effect your "sign". I've seen no evidence for any type of emotional change or whatever you want to call it on myself simply because a planet or star is closer or farther from earth. I've also seen no evidence that gravity has any effect on life other then the act of pulling.

 

[amrtin77]

ok i admit alot of that is pretty pathetic, but the stuff about ghosts and aliens, who are you to say its not possible? you say prove it, but can you disprove it? its like religion almost.

 

[c9h13no3]

Originally posted by Flag
45% thought lasers work by focusing sound waves (they focus light);

Actually they only emit 1 frequency of light waves... to be specific. A magnifying glass focuses light.

But yeah, people are stupid. I have come to accept this.

 

[Flag]

Do I believe aliens exist? Most-likely they do.

Do I believe they fly around in our atmosphere and abduct people while the government covers it all up? No.

You are correct however, if you are under the notion that the aliens just fly around without ever being captured to see what's inside then you couldn't disprove that they aren't aliens.. but then neither can you disprove leprecons exist.

This of course is all my opinion. So who am I to make an opinion? Nobody really. Does that matter? No. I'm merely posting the statistics, you decide what is bad or what is okay. I intentionally posted statistics from a wide range of topics because I knew not everyone would agree with it all so I could get everyone to argue if the statistics really show a "stupid America". The point of this post wasn't to discuss what your own feelings are on each question.

Actually they only emit 1 frequency of light waves... to be specific. A magnifying glass focuses light.

Thanks for pointing that out though this is the copy/paste from the website I visited, and not the writings of myself. Though the word "laser" in itself means light amplification through emission of radiation (or something like that) so I think the point was basically it's light rather then sound that it focuses on. But, yes, it could have been more specific.

 

[Kuzmich]

you got real problems with education in US, during my 2 years of living there i learned nothing, in 8th and 9th grade they were teaching people stuff we in Russia learned in 5th and 6th grade!
All i did learn is how to speak fluid English, right now i am in 10th grade speak fluidly in 3 languages have knowledge of philosophy,psychiatry, history, chemistry, biology, algebra we take it for 5 years and dont have names like algebra 1 or algebra 2, geometry, and phisics i know a lot of stuff in all of those areas and all of that i got from basic education in public school, and i am far from being the smartest in my class, my generation will put Russia at the top of the world, if ofcourse the economy catches up and the living conditions will improve, if that will not happen then my generation will probably end up making stuff for US only because Russia doesnt have enough money to supprt their research, that will truly be a pity, because every Russian is a patriot and it would pain them greately to work for someone else and not there motherland, but we also like money so no matter how we feel about it we will work for the greatest personal gain, so i hope the economy will improve greately in next 8 to 9 years.

 

[TrongaMonga]

I can't say much about your system, but your country is considered one of the most idealistic conservative, either you call yourselves the land of freedom or not.

Religion helps a lot on all that misinformation, the rest is actually more like lack of scientific divulgation.

But it's ironic, the best scientific magazines are actually americans :rolleyes.

 

[Kuzmich]

dont care what you say but what i say is true and i must repeat myself this is not 1996 we are different now, and who cares about some magazines your people wrote it doesnt make you smarter it only means that your govermnet has to go to measures of making magazines to simply atract attention of your young to science, we have a lot of good scientists and my generation at least promises to be a great contribution to russia's already large scientific group.

 

[Guru]

Originally posted by Otmorosok
you got real problems with education in US, during my 2 years of living there i learned nothing, in 8th and 9th grade they were teaching people stuff we in Russia learned in 5th and 6th grade!
All i did learn is how to speak fluid English, right now i am in 10th grade speak fluidly in 3 languages have knowledge of philosophy,psychiatry, history, chemistry, biology, algebra we take it for 5 years and dont have names like algebra 1 or algebra 2, geometry, and phisics i know a lot of stuff in all of those areas and all of that i got from basic education in public school, and i am far from being the smartest in my class, my generation will put Russia at the top of the world, if ofcourse the economy catches up and the living conditions will improve, if that will not happen then my generation will probably end up making stuff for US only because Russia doesnt have enough money to supprt their research, that will truly be a pity, because every Russian is a patriot and it would pain them greately to work for someone else and not there motherland, but we also like money so no matter how we feel about it we will work for the greatest personal gain, so i hope the economy will improve greately in next 8 to 9 years.

That's funny, because I learned how to use a period and a comma in the second grade, which you still don't seem to understand.

A little structure in your writing would be nice also.

The only thing Russians learn before Americans is why communism is more effective and why it was such a good idea. 'Nuff said.

 

[Kuzmich]

QUOTE]Originally posted by Guru
That's funny, because I learned how to use a period and a comma in the second grade, which you still don't seem to understand.

A little structure in your writing would be nice also.

The only thing Russians learn before Americans is why communism is more effective and why it was such a good idea. 'Nuff said. [/QUOTE]


well you know this is not my language, at least i do speak fluid in it, and i know that russians learn stuff before you, because i did live in US for 2 years, nothing new was introduced which made my life there too easy. That remark of yours about the communism just made me realize how stupid you, specifically you Guru, really are in Russia we only have 10 years of school so we have to go over the info faster then students in US and othre nations, but unlike in your educational system our schools teach stuff with greater detail then you do.

 

[Naga]

You lucky guys I will be one of the stuff occupying high degree lvls. One of my friends said that American Empire is ceasing due to the failure in the education system.

As a foreigner guy, I strongly agree. You should fix your education system rather than fixing Iraq.

 

[Kuzmich]

what nation are you from Naga?

 

[c9h13no3]

Originally posted by Naga
As a foreigner guy, I strongly agree. You should fix your education system rather than fixing Iraq.

Funny how all the people living in other countries come here for secondary education because our Universities are so strong....

 

[Kuzmich]

your universities are not strong it is all about your economy most people from other nations want to get a job in your country so they go to your universities not because they going to get more knowledge in there but because it is easier to get in a nation if you went to that nation's university, the universities of europe and some countries in asia are much better if you look on the amount of info and subjects they present to you, so only reason pople from other nations go to your colleges is because they want to get a job in your country, and your countries economy is strong, for now

 

[TrongaMonga]

Your universitys aren't strong. They are famous. The US has lots of fame.

 

[VegetaClam]

I for one think it's fun pretending to be smart! More than 99% percent of people on this planet have no clue what my belly bottom smells like right now. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% It don't really matter.

-VC

 

[Naga]

Originally posted by c9h13no3
Funny how all the people living in other countries come here for secondary education because our Universities are so strong....

Funny for you.. Pity for us. What makes your universities so strong is these foreigner guys(brain staff I mean), not being "your" universities.

 

[Naga]

Originally posted by Otmorosok
what nation are you from Naga?

Turkish and I am proud of it.

 

[Phrederick]

Originally posted by Otmorosok
you got real problems with education in US, during my 2 years of living there i learned nothing, in 8th and 9th grade they were teaching people stuff we in Russia learned in 5th and 6th grade!
All i did learn is how to speak fluid English, right now i am in 10th grade speak fluidly in 3 languages have knowledge of philosophy,psychiatry, history, chemistry, biology, algebra we take it for 5 years and dont have names like algebra 1 or algebra 2, geometry, and phisics i know a lot of stuff in all of those areas and all of that i got from basic education in public school, and i am far from being the smartest in my class, my generation will put Russia at the top of the world, if ofcourse the economy catches up and the living conditions will improve, if that will not happen then my generation will probably end up making stuff for US only because Russia doesnt have enough money to supprt their research, that will truly be a pity, because every Russian is a patriot and it would pain them greately to work for someone else and not there motherland, but we also like money so no matter how we feel about it we will work for the greatest personal gain, so i hope the economy will improve greately in next 8 to 9 years.

but Russia sucks and the USA is numero uno... how can that be?!

Originally posted by Naga
Funny for you.. Pity for us. What makes your universities so strong is these foreigner guys(brain staff I mean), not being "your" universities.

I cannot quite understand what you are saying. Perhaps you should go back to your Turkish university and learn better english before trying to communicate with us.

Originally posted by TrongaMonga
Your universitys aren't strong. They are famous. The US has lots of fame.

They are famous for being so strong. So great. Many advancements in technology and science have came from American Universities.

MIT, Yale, Harvard, Stanford, 4 of the greatest schools in the entire world.



Who invented the Personal Computer? 2 Americans by the name of Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs.
Who invented the Internet? The U.S Department of Defense.
Who discovered the element of Electricity? An american by the name of Benjamin Franklin.
Who created the electric fuel cell (aka battery), film, film projector, and countless other electrical products which we use today? An american by the name of Thomas Edison.
Who created the air plane? The Wright Brothers.
Who was the first person to land on the moon? Neil Armstrong

We americans are so far behind you foreigners... yet we invented just about everything you use today. Doesn't actually make sense to me.