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  #1  
Old 17-02-2014, 06:24 PM
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glenc (Glen)
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1 in 4 Americans Unaware the Earth Orbits the Sun

1 in 4 Americans Apparently Unaware the Earth Orbits the Sun
And the fact that only 74 percent of participants knew that the Earth revolved around the sun is perhaps less alarming than the fact that only 48 percent knew that humans evolved from earlier species of animals.
Here’s the thing, though: Americans actually fared better than Europeans who took similar quizzes — at least when it came to the sun and Earth question. Only 66 percent of European Union residents answered that one correctly.
http://newsfeed.time.com/2014/02/16/...-orbits-earth/
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Old 17-02-2014, 06:29 PM
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Hmmmm
Probably about the same %ages here in Australia.......
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Old 17-02-2014, 06:43 PM
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I agree Ken, probably worse!!
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Old 17-02-2014, 06:44 PM
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Hmmmm
Probably about the same %ages here in Australia.......
No mate, Australians believe the Earth revolves around a giant footy field!
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Old 17-02-2014, 07:19 PM
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Some years ago I was at the Synchroton near Chicago and an engineer was complaining about the temperature of his pool after winter and how to heat it.

I told him about the aussie solution. Just put a huge spiral of poly pipe on your roof and pump the pool water through it with the pool pump.


Six months later I was there again. This same engineer told me you could not buy poly pipe all the way to Idaho as every man and his dog were doing it..

Bert
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  #6  
Old 17-02-2014, 07:28 PM
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How do those people get through the school system like that?
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Old 17-02-2014, 07:46 PM
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That's a sad state of affairs......one of the most ' learned ' bits of knowledge taught at School in the Science class...the Earth orbits the Sun...
That's common knowledge....

How ridiculous is that.....

Flash....
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Old 17-02-2014, 08:07 PM
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We have a Texan lady here in town about 50 years old and she had no idea that the USA & NASA had the Space Shuttle & no idea two of them had tragic accidents. Absolutely TRUE.
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Old 17-02-2014, 08:09 PM
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On the subject of poor or misleading education ....

There's a funny scene in the film Clerks II where Randall (backwards baseball hat) is talking to Elias (cow-horned baseball hat). You think Elias is just a dork - probably a smart geek, actually - until about half way through the conversation ....

Clerks II - Pillowpants Scene

Caution: Rated MA15+ for coarse language
Please don't complain! If you can't stand coarse language, don't watch it!
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  #10  
Old 17-02-2014, 08:47 PM
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Time to cull the gene pool
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  #11  
Old 17-02-2014, 09:15 PM
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My kids think the world revolves around them, no different really.
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Old 17-02-2014, 09:23 PM
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The earth orbits the sun! Boy i am learning something new every day.
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Old 17-02-2014, 09:44 PM
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Come on guys, not everyone is blessed with a high IQ. Think about it. I understand that it is sad that we are not all on the same level. However, it is not viewed well if you put others down with derogatory comments.

We all rely on people of every different capability. Otherwise we would all be striving to become scientists or engineers and there'd be no indians.

What limited knowledge others may have does not impact to a large degree on progress or really the personal lives of the more fortunate. Its up to the upper echelon to make allowances and design safe modes for all.

"Ignorance is bliss" If you don't know about it, it can't hurt you. And it don't really hurt you.

Post the reports by all means. It is beneficial to everyone. knowledge is always good. Being judgemental is a human thing. Be aware of yourself. Others judge you by your comments.

Many people do not have the same athletic wisdom----. No!---Not correct. ---- Athletic mental capacity. So next time ask yourself who is failing. The correct answer is no one. 'Cause you are human.

Its a sad thing that so many people are not aware of the Earth's movement around the Sun. Yes I agree. But 300 or 400 years ago the cleverest of men were wrong. They even believed the Sun was a huge ball of burning coal. In time research changed that.

That is the base of my point.

We all form our opinions from what we know and how well we can assimilate the facts we are presented with.

Be appreciative of what ability you have. Be aware of the failings of others and be prepared to make allowances.

Cheers

I like this forum. It is so good to learn from or discuss issues with very bright people.
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Old 17-02-2014, 10:01 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ianB View Post
The earth orbits the sun! Boy i am learning something new every day.
No way man! You can't tell me that the Earth goes 'round the Sun.???
Are you blind?? Look out your window in the morning. The sun is East. In the afternoon it is West.

Did you feel any movement? NO! So I am right All the rest are wrong.

Think about it. The reference point.

You can not say I am wrong. For simplicity. Yes, the Earth goes 'round the sun, Rotation, night & day, blah blah.

Everything rotates around the Earth. The stars, the Sun & the Moon.
Install the Sun as the reference point. The Earth's Moon becomes a "Wanderer"

How does the Solar System appear in relation to the Milky Way?

Okay too heavy, brain drain. Gee's I love astronomy there is so much in complexities.

Cheers
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  #15  
Old 17-02-2014, 10:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Baddad View Post
...
Many people do not have the same athletic wisdom----. No!---Not correct. ---- Athletic mental capacity. So next time ask yourself who is failing. The correct answer is no one. 'Cause you are human.

Its a sad thing that so many people are not aware of the Earth's movement around the Sun. Yes I agree. But 300 or 400 years ago the cleverest of men were wrong. They even believed the Sun was a huge ball of burning coal. In time research changed that.
Marty, if it was just a matter if intellect we could excuse those people who don't have the ability to handle the facts.
What we should not excuse is the "educators" who willfully spout lies and half truths to students.
Sure a few hundred years ago people had the wrong idea about which of the Earth and Sun orbited the other. We've had hundreds of years for educators to teach the Copernican theory.
Yes, Lord Kelvin thought the sun was a ball of burning coal, and hence could not be more than a few hundred thousand years old, but he had not heard of nuclear fusion.
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  #16  
Old 17-02-2014, 11:26 PM
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Sorry Marty, but intellect has nothing to do with it! Without being unkind a person would have to be spectacularly dumb not to be able to assimilate a fact such as that.
What it indicates is a number of things, poor education, a culture of revelling in ignorance and society stamping on childrens natural curiosity about the world.

So I don't blame the number who don't know that the Earth revolves around the Sun but blame the situation that puts them in that position of ignorance.

Malcolm
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  #17  
Old 18-02-2014, 12:43 AM
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I wonder what the other 7 questions were and how they fared with them?

Apparently 22 million Americans believe the moon landing was faked.

http://politix.topix.com/story/5398-...ding-was-faked
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  #18  
Old 18-02-2014, 12:50 AM
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if the lie detecter test is anything to go by, if you believe it to be true .. No matter what ... it's true ...

matt
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  #19  
Old 18-02-2014, 07:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barx1963 View Post

So I don't blame the number who don't know that the Earth revolves around the Sun but blame the situation that puts them in that position of ignorance.

Malcolm
Quite right, Malcolm
I remember when my step-son first came to Australia at age 15 and he was struggling to learn English as well as do normal schooling.
I offered to help him with his science studies, and instead of the normal physics, chemistry and general scientific knowledge, all he was being taught was environmental science, some of which is open for debate.
It doesn't surprise me at all that people don't know earth revolves around the sun-particularly if you don't teach them!
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  #20  
Old 18-02-2014, 08:08 AM
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We all rely on people of every different capability. Otherwise we would all be striving to become scientists or engineers and there'd be no indians.
You're right who would work in the call centers to phone you right on dinner time...
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