About 25% of Americans Don't Know the Earth Revolves Around the Sun

[Nieroshai]

We Americans also vote republican too. Yet another reason to be ashamed of my country.

Classy. Letting your distaste for a party (and not the one running the country during one of our biggest economic crises) bias you to believe a bogus poll, and one that in fact still has the US beating out Europe as a whole on correct answers. Please do think before you hate, it is always a shame to see it crop up.

 

[Flatfrog]

Sounds like the survey was expecting the common, simplified answers. Because the earth orbits the sun only from the sun's frame of reference.

Not true. If we're going to be a bit more accurate, the two of them rotate around their common centre of gravity, but because of the difference in mass (and because of the influence of all the other planets), that's pretty much the same as the Earth revolving round the Sun.

The relativity principle doesn't apply here because it's an accelerating frame of reference. There is no frame of reference in which the Sun could be said to be rotating around the Earth. The forces are all wrong.

 

[Nieroshai]

There was a different survey a couple of years back, one of the questions was: If Earth revolves around the Sun, how much time does it take to make a full revolution? Around 30% answered one day.

Also, how does one "kill viruses" anyway? Virus is a single organic molecule, it's not even an organism of any description. It isn't even alive.

That's a good point. It's like stabbing a table in revenge because you hit your shin on it.

All in all, I hope this isn't true. Oh God, I hope it isn't.

And if it is I hope the only people asked were in the southern states. Then it's ok.

We did better on the poll than ALL of Europe. That educational utopia, as the internet makes it sound. Even if it is true, and indeed if the South is to blame, that would mean if just Georgia dropped off the map, America would have scored at least 2nd instead of 5th. Instead of Europe.

 

[Flatfrog]

As for viruses being alive or not, that's an interesting question because it gets to the definitions of life. They don't have their own metabolism, but they reproduce, mutate, evolve, contain genetic material etc.; that whole life-thing is pretty iffy to define in some areas.

True enough but I think most definitions of life exclude viruses. They contain genetic material, but they don't and can't do anything with it; all the apparatus for reproduction is appropriated from the host cell. So I think to say 'they reproduce' is pushing the definition quite a bit.

Also on a more philosophical level we can't say that reproducing, and evolving are criteria for life because otherwise we're into a difficult territory about the origin of life. Life had to evolve from non-life, and the only way for that to happen is for some intermediate form to exist which reproduced but wasn't alive. I think life has to involve some kind of metabolism.

 

[VanTesla]

We Americans also vote republican too. Yet another reason to be ashamed of my country.

Not trying to be rude, but that statement is quite ignorant. There is nothing wrong with being ignorant unless you stay that way. I dislike both parties in congress and both sides are mostly corrupt and have their fair share of idiots that speak louder than the vast majority of either party... There are good republicans as there bad and same for democrats. Both have very differing opinions on subjects and how to go about them, but many are able to at least compromise in the past. Also both parties as of now have being changing drastically in both extremes with newer people coming in some good and more so bad in my opinion. I have friends on both sides but they can actually have a civil discusion without yelling at each other that one is a fool or idiot. If you also look at history the parties have been going back and forth on leaning left or right and still are right now to appease to their constituents and not the the USA as a whole. Also if we want to talk about how both sides are so similar look at how Obama still uses many of the practices of the Bush era that was so hated by the majority of democrats and yet since he is in charge they only once in a blue moon may say something about it, but still support him... Same with Republicans hating on some ideas he has that boarder on what they intended when they had control because he is the opposition. Neither party is perfect and both are large with their fair share of corruption and fools.

 

[VanTesla]

eihter your educational system is really bad or you just have a huge ammount of hillbillies.

Sigh.. If you read the polling was of only 2,200 people that has a population of 312,000,000 people. I am sure they would have as many idiots in such a small polling if you went to any modern country on this earth...

 

[zehydra]

Is 2,200 really a large enough sample size to say 1/4 of 313.9 million don't believe the earth revolves around the sun?

I don't know a single person, (most of them American, as I am American) who think this. But according to that statistic I should know AT LEAST a few.

The big bang question is a bit problematic since it's not nearly as solidified as the theory of evolution. I'm not saying the big bang didn't happen, but there are several different scientific interpretations of what exactly happened in the early stages of the universe. I don't think there will be a sufficient and thorough explanation of the origins of the universe until the grand "Theory of Everything" is correctly formulated, if it even ever will be.

 

[Muspelheim]

There was a different survey a couple of years back, one of the questions was: If Earth revolves around the Sun, how much time does it take to make a full revolution? Around 30% answered one day.

Also, how does one "kill viruses" anyway? Virus is a single organic molecule, it's not even an organism of any description. It isn't even alive.

That's a good point. It's like stabbing a table in revenge because you hit your shin on it.

All in all, I hope this isn't true. Oh God, I hope it isn't.

And if it is I hope the only people asked were in the southern states. Then it's ok.

We did better on the poll than ALL of Europe. That educational utopia, as the internet makes it sound. Even if it is true, and indeed if the South is to blame, that would mean if just Georgia dropped off the map, America would have scored at least 2nd instead of 5th. Instead of Europe.

The Internet is rather silly on that point, though. Spoken as a European, I can report that the people that belches "Yankees are stupid!" the loudest tend to know ridiculously little about the U.S., and even less about America as a whole. If it wasn't featured on Friends, of course.

But hey, imagine what the European results would be like if only the wealthy nations were allowed to partake. Surveys this broad will always lead to a very unclear picture where everyone looks stupid to the point of worry. At best, they're worth a few laughs.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

What happens when you invest ludicrous amounts of money into a bloated military, and nothing into education and health?

Something like this.

Gotta be looking at priorities when your military spending is X times the number of the next X countries combined.

To be fair, if they didn't, everybody in America would be speaking either Russian or Chinese by now. And so would probably everyone in Europe.

Not sure if serious...


I hope so, because it would be funny.

If not, then I can't even begin to comprehend how wrong you are.

 

[VanTesla]

Okay, so I know it's fun to hate on America all the time, but I feel there's something that needs to be pointed out.

This is not just a problem in America. A similar study was conducted across numerous countries, and very few even did as 'well' as the US did (only South Korea fared better, with the number being around 14%). In fact, for the EU as a whole, the number was about 34%, and it was 30% in Japan.

So, yes, this is abysmally bad, and really kind of depressing, but it isn't just another opportunity to ridicule America.

Question: Where all pollings such a low number of participants and said that it equates to the population as it is whole?... Seriously 2,200 people in a polling does not prove a dam thing... The EU it even means less since they are even more varried in educational systems and language vs all USA states... Japan also has a big population for it's size verse South Korea or almost any EU country so if the polling there was small it means nothing as well.

 

[Compatriot Block]

Hey, I sure hope that people ripping into religion as if creationists represent every Christian don't get upset when people assume all atheists are "euphoric neckbeards."

That would be hypocritical, so I'm glad nobody would ever do something like that!

Plus, that sample size is puny. Need moar data.

I also remember reading a similar article on the Escapist a year or two ago about a similar kind of survey taken in Britain, but that was explained away in the comments as "national tendency towards sarcasm."

 

[VanTesla]

What happens when you invest ludicrous amounts of money into a bloated military, and nothing into education and health?

Something like this.

Gotta be looking at priorities when your military spending is X times the number of the next X countries combined.

To be fair, if they didn't, everybody in America would be speaking either Russian or Chinese by now. And so would probably everyone in Europe.

Not sure if serious...


I hope so, because it would be funny.

If not, then I can't even begin to comprehend how wrong you are.

Paranoia and propaganda are a strong medium in USA culture from televisions to politicians making shit up. Mind that neither of those countries he spoke of like us very much, but with China we both are stuck with eachother in economics now that if one of us falls the other will as well so it is a love hate relationship. Russia well that one has been a distrusting relationship since the rise and fall of lenin/stalinism and still old wounds and distrust fester. Also our Gov't hates Putin so yeah... But I don't see either as a military threat in the logic both sides would not gain shit out of it.

 

[VanTesla]

either your educational system is really bad or you just have a huge ammount of hillbillies.

Sigh.. If you read the polling was of only 2,200 people that has a population of 312,000,000 people. I am sure they would have as many idiots in such a small polling if you went to any modern country on this earth...

well, i thought it was enough to make a projection. assuming it was really taken from different places and not mostly from "all time fun silly land" texas. cause texas has been stigmatized with overly religious and mostly ignorant people.

but you are still right, we need more data i.e. more participants.

I will even defend Texas to an extent since they have estimated 26 million people that reside there and the State is huge and many parts have more liberal leanings than one thinks verse it all being a bible thumping redneck state. The problem is that the state is usually run completely one sided and the biggest speakers are the redneck/bible thumpers verse the majority.

 

[Dimitriov]

Okay, so I know it's fun to hate on America all the time, but I feel there's something that needs to be pointed out.

This is not just a problem in America. A similar study was conducted across numerous countries, and very few even did as 'well' as the US did (only South Korea fared better, with the number being around 14%). In fact, for the EU as a whole, the number was about 34%, and it was 30% in Japan.

So, yes, this is abysmally bad, and really kind of depressing, but it isn't just another opportunity to ridicule America.

Question: Where all pollings such a low number of participants and said that it equates to the population as it is whole?... Seriously 2,200 people in a polling does not prove a dam thing... The EU it even means less since they are even more varried in educational systems and language vs all USA states... Japan also has a big population for it's size verse South Korea or almost any EU country so if the polling there was small it means nothing as well.

I can't provide you the specific answer to this, but there is an awful lot of math behind sample sizes. It is generally understood that a small, representative sample can yield fairly accurate data about a much larger population.

A sample of 2000 people should indeed be able accurately represent the United States as a whole if it was taken correctly. Remember, it's not like they just go to one city and ask the first 2000 people they meet. A proper sample is designed to reflect the larger population.

If it was not possible to draw inferences about things based on smaller tests then, as a species, we would know virtually nothing about anything beyond our own front yards.

 

[VanTesla]

Okay, so I know it's fun to hate on America all the time, but I feel there's something that needs to be pointed out.

This is not just a problem in America. A similar study was conducted across numerous countries, and very few even did as 'well' as the US did (only South Korea fared better, with the number being around 14%). In fact, for the EU as a whole, the number was about 34%, and it was 30% in Japan.

So, yes, this is abysmally bad, and really kind of depressing, but it isn't just another opportunity to ridicule America.

Question: Where all pollings such a low number of participants and said that it equates to the population as it is whole?... Seriously 2,200 people in a polling does not prove a dam thing... The EU it even means less since they are even more varried in educational systems and language vs all USA states... Japan also has a big population for it's size verse South Korea or almost any EU country so if the polling there was small it means nothing as well.

I can't provide you the specific answer to this, but there is an awful lot of math behind sample sizes. It is generally understood that a small, representative sample can yield fairly accurate data about a much larger population.

A sample of 2000 people should indeed be able accurately represent the United States as a whole if it was taken correctly. Remember, it's not like they just go to one city and ask the first 2000 people they meet. A proper sample is designed to reflect the larger population.

If it was not possible to draw inferences about things based on smaller tests then, as a species, we would know virtually nothing about anything beyond our own front yards.

Even if they took the samples from each state and from low to high income families there are going to be ignorant people in every state and as mentioned since it is also random there can be a high chance they could pick more ignorant people than informed. Also the majority of this small sample still showed most response correct even if most got a couple wrong, but you have to take fact that some of the questions where stated somewhat vague so some people who may not be bright when reading questions does not mean they have the lack of knowledge if answered more directly. Also some of the people tested could have mental disorders or be older aged population since they don't really say what where the age and education the tested 2,200 people...

 

[Hosker]

Did the universe begin with a huge explosion? Only 39% answered yes correctly.
Did human beings, as we know them today, develop from earlier species of animals? Only 48% correctly said yes.
Do antibiotics kill viruses? Only 51% correctly answered no.

So the Big Band Theory is "correct" now? And the second question can easily be because of religion.

Is the fact that the Earth revolves around the sun really important? What difference does it make if someone doesn't know?

 

[DoPo]

-ignore-

 

[TakerFoxx]

Though these figures suddenly explain, Justin Bieber, Sarah Palin and how GeeDubya got two terms in office.

Justin Bieber's Canadian.

 

[KazeAizen]

What happens when you invest ludicrous amounts of money into a bloated military, and nothing into education and health?

The US government actually spends more on education and health care than most western countries. They just do so very, VERY ineffectively. Such as pumping most of their healthcare dollars into private companies. And in the case of education, school financing is often tied to the wealth of the areas they service. So rich neighborhoods get well funded schools, the poor neighborhoods that need the money most get the least.

Then there's issues like how the school system prepares kids for test taking, which does not necessarily translate well into practically applying what you've learned to any other instance. As well, studies indicate that the day after a big exam, students have already begun to rapidly forget everything they had to cram for the test.

So money isn't even the issue as such, it's a complete failure of method, ideology and politics.

Then there is the issue of certain right wing states putting a gigantic spear in any form of progress. Sorry if anyone here is from the U.S. and leans Conservative. I have nothing against moderates on either spectrum. Just extremists on both right and left. Back on point. A few years ago the U.S. actually tried to pass a measure of education reform. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and all the displaced kids from Louisiana they found out that their education at say 6th grade was not as high as the same year in Texas just a border hop away. So they decided to try and pass a measure that would standardize a curriculum for the whole nation from K-12 so no matter where you ended up you would be on the same page as everyone else. Guess which two states shot it down? Alaska and Texas. Apparently they can edumucate their kids just fine so no need to do that. Are you kidding me? 48 states agreed to this. 48 out of 50! I thought for once in my life that was something the entire freaking country could agree on. But NO! Apparently we can't!

The other thing to note as well is that from my experience most states have some kind of state mandated test that is to be taken in the basic subject of Social Studies, Science, Math, and English. If the test was actually worth anything it would be fine but the test is the usually the most rudimentary knowledge that people who get A's or hell even straight B's have little issue passing the test. However because this also determines certain financial things for the school and job positions for teachers they spend all year teaching you how to take this test. Then after its done they start teaching you other things. Either that test needs to go or the test needs to be made harder and more mentally challenging or something along those lines.

 

[RandV80]

I wonder exactly what all the questions are? Because to be fair, in many places in the US some of those the article mentioned are more political than scientific. They know what evolution and the big bang theory's are, but they choose not to believe it. This is a little different than the damning revolving earth/sun question, and the understandable antibiotics/virus question.

It still isn't very good overall, but just saying.