I think the majority of people here are missing the point (in my humble opinion). This won't be something that will power computers or houses, but imagine if you will a device that will charge your mobile phones and ipods and PSPs (through token nifty form of em induction(tm), or whatever) as you comute from your home to the office and back again (which I think is what they meant by moving and returning to where you started).
That in my books is what I think they meant (I mean, I don't really know - just sounds more logical to me) and I think something like that would be kind of nifty.
Perhaps kids these days are getting dumber, or perhaps the icing is just being spread more thinly. It is important to remember that this wasn't an IQ test per say, they were testing 'scientific' concepts such as volume and density. Perhaps the simple fact of the matter is kids 30 years ago were taught these concepts prior to taking the test, kids these days aren't. A change in curriculum, in my humble opinion, is a far cry from foaming at the mouth and running around hysterically screaming "The KIDS! They are getting DUMBER!"
There is more to learn today, than there was 30 years ago, just there was more to learn 30 years ago than there was when general relativity was merely a twinkle in a patent clerks eye, I don't think anybody could argue this fact. Given that there is more to learn (General relativity is a bad argument to make for 12 year olds, but the vibe of the point remains valid, we are teach more and more varied things, from history to IT and everything in between) - then obviously it will take longer, thus claims that the kids are getting dumber are bunk. If you want to measure intelligence, do a real IQ test.
I'll leave with a quote:
"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers".
Attributed to SOCRATES by Plato (469-399 BC)
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I think the majority of people here are missing the point (in my humble opinion). This won't be something that will power computers or houses, but imagine if you will a device that will charge your mobile phones and ipods and PSPs (through token nifty form of em induction(tm), or whatever) as you comute from your home to the office and back again (which I think is what they meant by moving and returning to where you started).
That in my books is what I think they meant (I mean, I don't really know - just sounds more logical to me) and I think something like that would be kind of nifty.
Perhaps kids these days are getting dumber, or perhaps the icing is just being spread more thinly. It is important to remember that this wasn't an IQ test per say, they were testing 'scientific' concepts such as volume and density. Perhaps the simple fact of the matter is kids 30 years ago were taught these concepts prior to taking the test, kids these days aren't. A change in curriculum, in my humble opinion, is a far cry from foaming at the mouth and running around hysterically screaming "The KIDS! They are getting DUMBER!" There is more to learn today, than there was 30 years ago, just there was more to learn 30 years ago than there was when general relativity was merely a twinkle in a patent clerks eye, I don't think anybody could argue this fact. Given that there is more to learn (General relativity is a bad argument to make for 12 year olds, but the vibe of the point remains valid, we are teach more and more varied things, from history to IT and everything in between) - then obviously it will take longer, thus claims that the kids are getting dumber are bunk. If you want to measure intelligence, do a real IQ test. I'll leave with a quote: "The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers". Attributed to SOCRATES by Plato (469-399 BC)