1 in 4 Americans unaware that Earth circles Sun

[Hum]

Americans are enthusiastic about the promise of science but lack basic knowledge of it, with one in four unaware that the Earth revolves around the Sun, said a poll out Friday.

The survey included more than 2,200 people in the United States and was conducted by the National Science Foundation.

Ten questions about physical and biological science were on the quiz, and the average score -- 6.5 correct -- was barely a passing grade.

Just 74 percent of respondents knew that the Earth revolved around the Sun, according to the results released at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Chicago.

Fewer than half (48 percent) knew that human beings evolved from earlier species of animals.

The result of the survey, which is conducted every two years, will be included in a National Science Foundation report to President Barack Obama and US lawmakers.

One in three respondents said science should get more funding from the government.

Nearly 90 percent said the benefits of science outweigh any dangers, and about the same number expressed interest in learning about medical discoveries.

source

[123456789A]

Well it doesn't really circle the sun. The orbit is more elliptical.

[LOC Veteran]

This is more a result of a crumbling education system here in the US than it is "Derp Americans are stupid!" Though there are certainly dumb Americans, I find most people (especially kids these days) are like science sponges, willing to soak up any information about science. It's just when teachers are paid so crappy, and everything else going wrong with our education system - these sorts of things are sadly expected.

[DocM]

Blame mainly,

1) in spite of a lot of talk, STEM subjects get short shrift in favor of politically correct and fluff content.

2) teachers usually come from the bottom 25% of college freshmen

3) elementary science teachers are usually not required to have a science major, and often don't have a science minor.

4) in most districts principals are no longer required to be teachers. It is now a specialized MBA type program. As such many are not really qualified or licensed to give their teachers guidance or co-teach.

5) tenure requirements are now so lax it's almost automatic, even it the teacher is a flaming moron.

(Wife's an old-school teacher, so this is a constant after work discussion)

[rfirth]

2) teachers usually come from the bottom 25% of college freshmen

 

The bottom 25% of college freshman? That would be remarkable considering the bottom 40% don't even graduate college (within 6 years).

[+Red King Subscriber²]

Blame American citizens.

American citizens have the power over the local and state government - they just are not educated and motivated enough to use it for their own self benefit.

Catch 22

[Hum]

Earth revolves around the Sun -- lies -- all lies ! :woot:

[M_Lyons10]

Well it doesn't really circle the sun. The orbit is more elliptical.

HAHAHAHA!  Touche...

 

It amazes me though.  The dumbest people show up for these "surveys"...

 

Are we sure this isn't satire?  LOL

Blame American citizens.

American citizens have the power over the local and state government - they just are not educated and motivated enough to use it for their own self benefit.

Catch 22

That's the problem though.  The US citizenship DOES use government for their own *personal* benefit.  Screw the children, my neighbors, etc., I want free stuff for me!  Nothing else matters to the average voter.

[DocM]

The bottom 25% of college freshman? That would be remarkable considering the bottom 40% don't even graduate college (within 6 years).

Probably should have worded it differently.

A report by the National Council on Teacher Quality in 2004 (many current mid-career teachers started in the early 2000's) said that the profession attracts,

....a disproportionately high number of candidates from the lower end of the distribution of academic ability.

And,

....college graduates whose SAT or ACT scores were in the bottom quartile were more than twice as likely as those in the top quartile to have majored in education.

[ctebah]

Well it doesn't really circle the sun. The orbit is more elliptical.

A circle is an ellipse whose eccentricity is zero

[GotBored]

I blame the Kardashians and Beiber.

[DocM]

Don't forget the rest of un-reality TV.

[HellboundIRL]

There are also plenty of young people being fed absolute drivel by their churches and told not to question it and it reaches a point where it's easier to point at the bible for answers instead of seeking out the truth for themselves, I'd say that has a bigger impact than Bieber or the Kardashians ever will.

 

You can't teach someone who is unwilling to learn.

[KingCracker]

There are also plenty of young people being fed absolute drivel by their churches and told not to question it and it reaches a point where it's easier to point at the bible for answers instead of seeking out the truth for themselves, I'd say that has a bigger impact than Bieber or the Kardashians ever will.

 

You can't teach someone who is unwilling to learn.

Yeah blame the churches lol. Its always the churches fault but yet the study makes no mention of the peoples religious background.  Its funny though that Europe was the hot bed for Christianity for 100's of years and is responsible for bringing it to the new world and now europe denounces it. Blame yourselves.. 

[ShadowMajestic]

Yeah blame the churches lol. Its always the churches fault but yet the study makes no mention of the peoples religious background.  Its funny though that Europe was the hot bed for Christianity for 100's of years and is responsible for bringing it to the new world and now europe denounces it. Blame yourselves.. 

You are aware that we lived a 1000 years without any progress right? That the moment we started to put Christianity to a secondary position when we started to thrive.

However, most early scientists where religious. Attempting to prove the word of god. Even today there's plenty of scientists that are religious. Einstein for example worked together with several. They can both go together. The basic story is practically the same "Once there was nothing, then moments later, there was everything.".. Evolution also does not disprove god.

 

 

Also, the world is flat!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Earth_Society

[Nagisan]

It amazes me though.  The dumbest people show up for these "surveys"...

 

Are we sure this isn't satire?  LOL

That's my thoughts, me nor anybody I know would not know the Earth revolves around the Sun.....they must be going to the lowest education areas in the US or something for these surveys....

 

 

You are aware that we lived a 1000 years without any progress right? That the moment we started to put Christianity to a secondary position when we started to thrive.

However, most early scientists where religious. Attempting to prove the word of god. Even today there's plenty of scientists that are religious. Einstein for example worked together with several. They can both go together. The basic story is practically the same "Once there was nothing, then moments later, there was everything.".. Evolution also does not disprove god.

 

 

Also, the world is flat!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Earth_Society

I think it's also important to note that those 1000 years were caused by Christianity as a religion, not the belief as to whether or not God exists.

[compl3x]

 Evolution also does not disprove god.

 

 

It's never tried to.

 

 

 

Fewer than half (48 percent) knew that human beings evolved from earlier species of animals.

 

 

Knew or accept? Evolution seems to be a hard one for many to swallow. Once you can start rejecting one scientific reality it becomes very easy to start rejecting or ignoring others.

[ShadowMajestic]

That's my thoughts, me nor anybody I know would not know the Earth revolves around the Sun.....they must be going to the lowest education areas in the US or something for these surveys....

 

 

I think it's also important to note that those 1000 years were caused by Christianity as a religion, not the belief as to whether or not God exists.

Why not, in medieval times the answer to every question was God.

It's never tried to.

 

 

 

Knew or accept? Evolution seems to be a hard one for many to swallow. Once you can start rejecting one scientific reality it becomes very easy to start rejecting or ignoring others.

No but many religious (and evolutionist) people think so "God created us immediately" idea.

[Kriz]

Nothing shocks me when it comes to America anymore.

[KingCracker]

Why not, in medieval times the answer to every question was God.

No but many religious (and evolutionist) people think so "God created us immediately" idea.

Who created god then? 

[cork1958]

This is more a result of a crumbling education system here in the US than it is "Derp Americans are stupid!" Though there are certainly dumb Americans, I find most people (especially kids these days) are like science sponges, willing to soak up any information about science. It's just when teachers are paid so crappy, and everything else going wrong with our education system - these sorts of things are sadly expected.

 

"This is more a result of a crumbling education system here in the US"

 

That is EXACTLY correct!!

 

Heck,

Most kids around here barely know how to spell their own name correctly anyemore. 4 years of math is now a requirement and most kids can't add 2+2 in their heads.

 

The educational system is nothing but a baby setting institution anymore!

[FFX]

This is truly frightening...

And on the other subject. God in Christianity, and a lot of the gods of other religions, are a tools invented to control populations, through fear.

[+Anarkii Subscriber²]

Who created god then? 

I created god. Prove me wrong!

And yeah, them not knowing the Earth revolves around the sun is no surprise. 

Oh and another thing, the Earth isn't flat either.

[KingCracker]

Nothing shocks me when it comes to America anymore.

Yeah well as another poster commented, he doesn't anyone that wouldn't know that the earth obits the sun. I think if they actually did a large scale survey that the statistics would dramatically change. 

I created god. Prove me wrong!

And yeah, them not knowing the Earth revolves around the sun is no surprise. 

Oh and another thing, the Earth isn't flat either.

So you assuming just because they are Americans, that Americans myself included didn't know the earth orbited the sun?? 

[DrakeN2k]

In the bible belt they must think the world is flat.