Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Study Highlights Gap Between Views of Scientists and the Public

Posted by Soulskill on from the i-blame-the-schools dept.

ZeroSerenity was one of many to write with news of a survey from the Pew Research Center which sought to find out how Americans feel about science and contrast that with the opinions of actual scientists. The study showed that "nearly 9 in 10 scientists accept the idea of evolution by natural selection, but just a third of the public does. And while 84% of scientists say the Earth is getting warmer because of human activity, less than half of the public agrees with that." 27% of the respondents said that the advances of the US in science are its greatest achievement, down from 44% ten years ago. The study is lengthy, and it contains many more interesting tidbits. For example: scientists decry the level of media coverage given to science, and they also think research funding has too much influence on study results. 32% of scientists identify themselves as Independent, while 55% say they're Democrats and 6% say they're Republicans.

6 of 670 comments (clear)

  1. Only 9 in 10 accept evolution? by PieSquared · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hrm... I'd like to see exactly how they arrived at *that* number...

    They're not counting engineers as scientists, are they?

    --
    Does a line appended to your comment give your post meaning in and of itself, or only in relation to those without?
    1. Re:Only 9 in 10 accept evolution? by Gadzeus · · Score: 2, Funny

      As far as I understand it that's, like, the difference between a gorilla penis and a human penis. No? Come ON... there has to be some evolution... so you blame women. It isn't God's fault! That'd be gross!

  2. Re:55% say they are Democrats by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    40% do, 58% don't 15% don't know ;)

  3. Re:55% say they are Democrats by bunratty · · Score: 4, Funny

    If the world has been cooling for the last ten years, someone should tell all that Arctic ice to stop melting. Hey, get with the program Arctic ice! Cooling, I tell you! Cooling!1!

    --
    What a fool believes, he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.
  4. Re:55% say they are Democrats by Antique+Geekmeister · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, yes. The average maried couple has sex 98 times a year, and 48% of women admit to faking orgasms.

  5. Re:reality is librul by Attila+Dimedici · · Score: 2, Funny

    Right. The fact that you classify 55% as 'more than half' shows exactly what a stupid moron you are.

    Mart

    I read your post three times, what is your point?
    Let's do some math. One half of something is 50% of that something. 55 is greater than 50. So 55% is more than half of something.

    --
    The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison