Two “Science” Surveys that Mean More Together

Two different news stories this week caught my eye, but strictly because of how they reflect on one another. I got several hits on an old post I had written called Senator Inhofe: Please define “Prominent Scientist”. The hits all came from people visiting a digg™ post at Increased Number Think Global Warming Is Exaggerated.

The digg™ story is about a Gallup poll showing:

Although a majority of Americans believe the seriousness of global warming is either correctly portrayed in the news or underestimated, a record-high 41% now say it is exaggerated. This represents the highest level of public skepticism about mainstream reporting on global warming seen in more than a decade of Gallup polling on the subject.

This report presupposes that Americans, in general, possess the tools needed to develop a meaningful decision on scientific matters. All men are created equal, but after being created all bets are off.  Some people have invested a huge amount of time and energy into studying specific subjects while others have forgotten what they learned in elementary school.

While most Americans would not presume that they have the skills and knowledge needed to diagnose cancer or other diseases, many so feel that they can possess a “gut feeling” that should be treated as equally valid as long term scientific research in creating environmental policy.  As long as this continues, we are in for a world of hurt.  I would be the last to espouse a technocracy, but there needs to be a way to reconcile the fact that if most of our elected representatives actually made the hard decisions that are needed now they would stand a good chance of losing their next election.

The second story that caught my eye is Science Literacy – American Adults ‘Flunk’ Basic Science, Says Survey.

Are Americans bad at science?  If so, are they worse than anywhere else?   We know the answer to one of those questions.  A new national survey commissioned by the California Academy of Sciences and conducted by Harris Interactive  says that the U.S. public is unable to pass even a basic scientific literacy test.

The good news; U.S. adults do believe that scientific research and education are important. About 4 in 5 adults think science education is “absolutely essential” or “very important” to the U.S. healthcare system (86%), the U.S. global reputation (79%), and the U.S. economy (77%).

People are starting to realize that innovation and industry – not making cheap mortgages a government mandated right – are what propels successful economies.    That means people have to understand science.

If you’re already confident in your knowledge, here’s what other people do not know:

• Only 53% of adults know how long it takes for the Earth to revolve around the Sun.
• Only 59% of adults know that the earliest humans and dinosaurs did not live at the same time.
• Only 47% of adults can roughly approximate the percent of the Earth’s surface that is covered with water .
• Only 21% of adults answered all three questions correctly.

Knowledge about some key scientific issues is also low. Despite the fact that access to fresh water is likely to be one of the most pressing environmental issues over the coming years, less than 1% of U.S. adults know what percent of the planet’s water is fresh (the correct answer is 3%). Nearly half didn’t even hazard a guess. Additionally, 40% of U.S. adults say they are “not at all knowledgeable” about sustainability.

I guess the real question I am left with is what have we, as Americans, done to earn the right to make policy if we are not invested enough in the matter to study scientific subjects thoroughly.