Only 25% of American Adults Get Passing Grades in Science Survey
Less than half of American adults understand that the Earth orbits the sun yearly, according to a basic science survey. Despite flubbing such questions, there is enthusiasm for research, except in such fields as genetic engineering and nuclear power.
Only about 25% of American adults got passing grades in a survey by the National Science Foundation of what people know about basic science and economics. Even fewer of those surveyed felt they were well-informed about the technical subjects.
The worst showing came when those surveyed were asked to define scientific terms. Only about 9% knew what a molecule was, and only 21% could define DNA.
But even more fundamental questions stumped many: Less than half knew that the Earth orbits the sun annually.
In a test of environmental understanding, a third of Americans surveyed understood the effects of a thinning of the ozone layer, 14% could identify locations of ozone holes and only 5% could give a scientific explanation of acid rain.
Even money questions stumped most Americans. A 10-point quiz on economics showed that only 22% could correctly answer seven or more of the questions.
“Only 10% feel very well informed about science and technology, and studies show that only a small segment of the population has a strong grasp of basic scientific ideas,” according to a report released Thursday by the foundation.
On a 10-part quiz testing scientific understanding, only 27% of the American adults surveyed could answer seven or more questions.
The national survey of 2,006 adults found that 72% believe science research is worthwhile. Only 13% took the opposite view.
Among college graduates, 90% thought the benefits of research outweighed the risks, while only 48% of those who did not complete high school felt that way.
The survey was conducted by researchers at the International Center for the Advancement of Scientific Literacy at the Chicago Academy of Sciences. The survey was conducted by telephone in October. The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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Americans’ Science IQ
Here is the quiz used to determine how much American adults know about basic science issues. Answers are at the end, along with the percentage in the survey who answered correctly.
1. The center of the Earth is very hot. (True or False)
2. The oxygen we breathe comes from plants. (True or False)
3. Electrons are smaller than atoms. (True or False)
4. The continents have been moving their location for millions of years and will continue to move. (True or False)
5. Human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals. (True or False)
6. The earliest human beings lived at the same time as the dinosaurs. (True or False)
7. Which travels faster: light or sound?
8. How long does it take for the Earth to go around the sun: one day, one month, or one year?
9. Tell me, in your own words, what is DNA?
10. Tell me, in your own words, what is a molecule?
1. T, 78%, 2. T, 85%, 3. T, 44%, 4. T, 79%, 5. T, 44%, 6. F, 48%, 7. Light, 75%, 8. One year, 47%, 9. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a large molecule in the chromosomes that contains the genetic information for each cell. 21%, 10. Molecule is the smallest unit of a chemical compound capable of existing independently while retaining properties of the original substance. 9%.
Source: Associated Press
