America is bad at science

"You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much" (youcantellafinn) 09/11/2015 at 07:24 • Filed to: None

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Here is a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Americans averaged 8/12 correct on this. When you get done it gives a demographic breakdown of the results by question. It is sad how terrible we are at science. Some of these aren’t even science as much as they are common sense questions.

There are some really interesting results in the demographic breakdown, and it’s worth going through the quiz to get there. It turns out when you are around for a scientific breakthrough you are much more likely to answer questions about it correctly. There are also some questions that had surprisingly low amounts of correct answers. One in particular only 34% of people answered correctly and you don’t even really have to know the science behind it to get the answer correct. Regarding my results, I went 12/12.

TractorPillow > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 07:34

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I got 13/12 right.

Berang > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 07:35

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I got 12/12 too... and yet I feel like there are probably a bunch of people out there who would get maybe 1 right, and yet have a higher paying job than I do and a perfect life...

AthomSfere > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 07:38

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Haven’t had my coffee yet, but some gripes:

Why is astrology on a science quiz? (I didn’t read that one all the way and got it wrong)

Actually, I missed 3, but as soon as I saw the answers I knew I shouldn’t take middle school science quizzes before coffee.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 07:51

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I think I got them right but the results page didn’t work. I’m really not surprised that most don't know.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 08:00

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The only one that can really muck up the works there is the T-P question.

But would you expect an American to have ever seen a phase diagram, and to know how atmospheric pressure works?

Bluecold > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 08:06

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One question is open to interpretation. The loudness of sound is more physically correct if you state velocity. Amplitude is no physical quantity.

The speed of sound is defined by the speed with which the smallest possible shockwave travels through a medium. If you increase the loudness of sound you end up with shockwaves that can move faster than the speed of sound.

Funktheduck > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 09/11/2015 at 08:29

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I had to refresh

Funktheduck > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 08:30

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I missed one and feel dumb after the fact because I knew better

Sn210 > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 08:43

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11/12

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Funktheduck 09/11/2015 at 08:43

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I already closed the tab

KnotThatBusy > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 08:46

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Basic ‘science’ questions. Astrology is no science.

Teleph0nes > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 08:49

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11/12. Not bad for someone who forgot their work badge this morning.

punkgoose17 > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 08:49

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I got 11/12. I was thinking the right way PV=nRT

punkgoose17 > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 09/11/2015 at 08:49

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That is the one I got wrong.

extraspecialbitter > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 09/11/2015 at 08:52

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Ctrl + Shift + T

Rico > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 08:57

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11/12

The Denver question got me.

Birddog > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 09/11/2015 at 09:09

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Oddly we covered that in HS Mechanical Science class. Back in 89-90.

Master Cylinder > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 09:12

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12/12. And I’m a lawyer for cripes sake.

jariten1781 > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 09:15

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I mean, I got 12/12...but science is a process not a collection of facts...well it’s both, but the latter is generally tied to the body of human knowledge, not an individual’s. The only question that really leans towards understanding of science (tentatively) by an individual is interpreting the graph.

Humorously, I would not expect that a random person would know ‘higher elevation= lower pressure’ -> ‘lower pressure = lower boiling temperature’. I bet if asked “does it take longer to cook something in Denver or LA” you’d get more correct answers, which is what matters in effect for Joe Blow. I also bet countries that use Celsius would score even lower on that question since they get it drilled in that 100 is the temp where water boils.

Who developed the polio vaccine, what astrology is, the entire tide question (main is really subjective, easy to word better), the nuke question (which is straight up false as worded), are all bunk and more about understanding the intent of the author and trivia than representative of ‘understanding science’.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > TractorPillow 09/11/2015 at 09:23

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Damn overachievers. Or possibly America can’t do math either.

Tekamul > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 09:23

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I went 12/12, but in the defense of others, some of these facts have no value for anyone not in a fairly narrow field.

As an example, the question about which layer of the earth is hottest. If you’re not a geologist, it is completely irrelevant for the entirety of your life outside of 1 quiz in 7th grade. Learning it is essentially more harmful than helpful, you could have spent the time more wisely.

JGrabowMSt > Rico 09/11/2015 at 09:24

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The graph got me, but admittedly, I have a cold right now. 11/12 though. Not bad, all things considered.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > AthomSfere 09/11/2015 at 09:30

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I think it’s a trick question

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Bluecold 09/11/2015 at 09:31

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That one was definitely worded a little poorly. The amplitude of the sound wave is the mathematical representation of its strength, so it works but doesn’t really address the physical phenomena. I would argue that the loudness of sound is determined by the dynamic pressure of the medium. While individual air particles are moving at speeds faster than the speed of sound, the actual sound wave itself propagates at the speed of sound and that speed doesn’t vary with volume.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 09:32

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12/12 but I have a bachelor of science degree and boiled water at 197 deg F at 5,700 feet MSL.

EL_ULY > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 09:32

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You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > KnotThatBusy 09/11/2015 at 09:33

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Yeah, that one got a WTF out of me. I guess their point was to see if you realize that astrology =/= astronomy, but that still doesn’t determine if you are aware that astrology =/= science.

StingrayJake > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 09:44

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10/12 and a little dissapointed about it. Missed the Denver water boiling question, which is apparently the most missed question. Having spent time at higher altitudes, I knew that cooking times varried but second guessed myself and changed my answer. Also missed the magnifying glass.

wkiernan > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 09:50

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It was a valid history-of-science question. Lots of early astronomy was motivated by the peculiar desire to make accurate ephemerides for casting horoscopes; Tycho Brahe, for example, was an astrologer as well as an astronomer.

If non-scientists weren’t taught science by only focusing on the theories that seem to be correct today, rather than also checking out the true history of science as systematic trial-and-error, I think they would understand the scientific method better and you wouldn’t hear people dismissively saying things like “Oh, evolution is just a theory .”

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 09:53

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11/12. Read the astrology question too fast without thinking about it. Was thinking “astrology isn’t science so they’re definitely taking about astronomy since this is a science quiz".

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 09:54

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It’s sad that apostrophe usage is so difficult for some.

fourvalleys > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 10:02

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Most interesting to me is the statistical difference between the frequency of correct responses from male and female subjects. On average, the survey says that nearly 11% more males answered each question correctly. Is this representative of the gender disparity in science education, or is this indicative of a problem with the sample group? Or is it saying something else entirely? Either way, it’s frustrating.

uofime-2 > JGrabowMSt 09/11/2015 at 10:03

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they also forgot that correlation does not prove causation with that question which really makes me doubt how smart the people making the survey and scares me that they might be drawing conclusions from it.

Say it with me again

CORRELATION DOES NOT PROVE CAUSATION

More than a couple of those questions were not very good.

Ross Kraz > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 10:04

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11/12. I know to get the signal to the tower it is still radio waves, but I put light waves. Maybe someone can explain to me why I'm wrong. Because conversations are almost instant even across the country. You don't have to wait minutes in between talking (which you would have to do if it traveled at the speed of sound). So that means that the signal must be going faster, right? Many communication lines use fiber optic cables which use light waves. I think my answer is legit.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > wkiernan 09/11/2015 at 10:09

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Genius. I’ve always thought something like this but never really put it into words before.

Looking back at my life and education, there are two things I can pinpoint that fundamentally changed how I think and how I understand the world... The Navy’s Nuclear Power School, and my Philosophy of Science course in college - in particular, reading Kuhn’s “Structure of Scientific Revolutions.”

It’s a shame it’s so wordy and dense... maybe someone should write a children’s version, because I think it absolutely should be taught before students are taught science. And if you have an interest in the history of science, I highly suggest it. Not that it’s a history text, but it gives a really good interpretation of what drives scientific progress over time.

JGrabowMSt > uofime-2 09/11/2015 at 10:10

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Yeah, looking at the graph, I was just kind of struggling to find one that was “least wrong.”

It didn’t seem to have a pattern that supported any of the answers to be honest. I may be out of college, but I did very well in statistics (despite not being that great with calculus).

Maybe I’m wrong, but eh, I have a pretty good job, so I’m not about to let an internet quiz take me down.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 10:11

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12/12. Looking at the breakdown, I’m... actually not surprised. Sadly, I think almost all the results fall right in line with all the stereotypes. Men score better than women, though not by as much as I would have thought. White people consistently score better than minorities. Old people don’t know anything about cellphones.

Van Man, rocks the Man Van > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 10:35

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11/12 (I got the magnifying glass one wrong) but I'm only a freshman so...

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > jariten1781 09/11/2015 at 10:44

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If you understand the process then you understand the basic facts that allow for that process and you should be able to answer basic questions. While some of the questions could be worded differently, if you understand the basic science principles you should be able to easily answer the questions correctly.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Ross Kraz 09/11/2015 at 10:57

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The question is what type of waves your cell phone uses to make and receive calls, not “how is the signal transmitted across the country”. Radio waves are electromagnetic and they travel at the speed of light, so there is no difference in signal speed between the radio waves travelling between your phone and the nearest tower and the light waves travelling through the fiber optic line.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney 09/11/2015 at 11:01

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/Engineered

jariten1781 > uofime-2 09/11/2015 at 11:16

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I think they’re actually good there. The answer to choose was “the more people eat sugar the more cavities they get” (correlation). If they had said “sugar causes cavities” (causation) I’d be with you.

Ross Kraz > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 11:16

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Oh yeah. Durr.

jariten1781 > Ross Kraz 09/11/2015 at 11:19

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It’s all part of the EM spectrum. Radio is a distinct part of that spectrum as is light.

wiffleballtony > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 11:36

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10/12. I missed one because I didn’t read the question fully about the stars. I saw stars, selected astronomy. I got the microscope one wrong because they’re powered by magic.

jariten1781 > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 11:39

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if you understand the basic science principles you should be able to easily answer the questions correctly.

Nah, field specific. You can’t identify a comet just because you understand science principles, nor identify Salk, nor recognize astrology by its questionable definition, etc. The only questions on that quiz your statement applies to are the phase transition (and I’d argue that’s not ‘basic’ science...basic would be identifying the ‘3 phases’ that’re taught early in school), magnifying glass, the graph, and maybe the ‘loudness’ question. The rest require trivia which, granted, is taught relatively early in a childhood education but is not particularly reflective of ‘understanding science’.

This quiz is reflective of peoples ability to recall pre-high school science facts, a small amount of applying science knowledge; and, pending they’re able to do the first two, having the social knowledge to be able to discern the authors intent on poorly worded (ex tides) or straight up false (ex nuke) questions.

Dusty Ventures > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 12:21

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Admittedly on the polio one I didn’t know the right answer, I just knew the three wrong answers.

Dusty Ventures > StingrayJake 09/11/2015 at 12:26

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I got the magnifying glass one by remembering childhood misadventures with ants

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > JGrabowMSt 09/11/2015 at 13:15

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That one struck me as being more about reading comprehension than of science, namely looking at the labels on the X and Y axes and finding an answer that matched the appropriate descriptions; you didn’t really need to delve into the contents of the graph itself to get the answer they were looking for.

The other answers remind me of how a lot of conversations on the Internet go these days- someone says something, and others read into what was said and come up with their own interpretation based not on what was objectively stated but by what they subjectively think or feel. Just step back and look at what was said, not what you think was said...

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 13:31

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12/12

It seemed to be more about comprehension and coming up with the appropriate answer to fit the question, even if that is not necessarily the 100% correct answer. The trick is to not read too much into it.

In my CAP squadron I am both Aerospace Education officer and testing officer. We had two copies of a test that one of the cadets was taking, so I took it at the same time as him. A number of the questions were poorly worded, as seems to be the case with a number of multiple choice tests, but even so I managed to fumble my way to a 88% score having never seen the test or lectured specifically of the contents of the book (I prefer more hands-on lessons to keep the kids alert and involved).

And the cadet taking the test? He finally got a passing score of 80% on the fourth attempt...

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Dusty Ventures 09/11/2015 at 13:45

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I’m not saying how I knew that, but that one was pretty easy.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Dusty Ventures 09/11/2015 at 13:47

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What is interesting is the age demographic breakdown on the polio question and the atomic energy / atomic bomb question. Those are the only two questions where the oldest demo clearly outperforms every other demographic.

Tapas > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/11/2015 at 16:25

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Fuck to the yes, baby!

12/12 correct! I will not be killing myself from shame today!

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Tapas 09/11/2015 at 16:31

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It’s good to hear that I’m not going to be responsible for anyone’s death today.

AthomSfere > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/11/2015 at 21:27

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I’m not sure. I mean other than the “science” word it read as astrology...

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 09/14/2015 at 16:39

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9/12, and as some who LOVES science I am extremely disappointed in myself.

CalzoneGolem > Berang 09/23/2015 at 12:07

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...and a bigger donger.

Berang > CalzoneGolem 09/23/2015 at 12:33

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...possibly even more than one.