Religion Tyson: U.S. science illiteracy a serious threat

[SlyPokerDog]

GREENSBORO — The United States has plenty of challenges in front of it these days.

The issue of greatest concern to perhaps one of the nation’s most well-known scientists, Neil deGrasse Tyson: Americans know far too little about science.

Americans overall are bad at science. Scared of math. Poor at physics and engineering. Resistant to evolution. This science illiteracy, Tyson told a nearly sold-out crowd at the Greensboro Coliseum on Tuesday night, is a threat to the nation.


“The consequence of that is that you breed a generation of people who do not know what science is nor how and why it works,” he said. “You have mortgaged the future financial security of your nation. Innovations in science and technology are the (basis) of tomorrow’s economy.”

http://www.greensboro.com/news/scho...cle_f3e72cb4-686c-5af5-9088-fb23b23fae7d.html

 

[Rastapopoulos]

"Future." Lol.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

America’s decline isn’t unprecedented, Tyson said. Just look back 1,000 years ago at the Middle East, where math and science flourished in Baghdad. Algebra and algorithms were invented in the Middle East. So were Arabic numerals — the numbers we still use today.

But when a new cleric emerged during the 12th century, he declared math and science to be earthly pursuits, Tyson said, and good Muslims should be concerned about spiritual affairs. The scientists drifted away, and scientific literacy faded from that part of the world. Of 655 Nobel Prizes awarded in the sciences since 1900, Tyson said, only three have been awarded to Muslims.

“Things that seem harmless can have devastating effects,” he said.

Europe dominated science in the centuries that followed. You can see its influence today, Tyson said. Just look at currency: European paper money has carried the pictures of famous scientists. The former German currency bore the picture of the mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss and his most famous contribution, the bell curve.

“It is a not-so-subtle message from the government that math matters,” Tyson said. “If it’s on your currency, it is part of your culture. You think it. You feel it. Whether or not you’re a scientist or a mathematician, you’re not going to be the person to stand in their way when they’re trying to get math and science done.”


The United States had its own scientific golden age in the last half of the 20th century. The space race and the Cold War drove scientific invention. Popular culture was full of flying cars, monorails, cities of tomorrow and world fairs that celebrated progress and invention.

“You didn’t need special programs to try to convince people that they should like science,” Tyson said. “It was already writ large in headlines. You don’t do that without science, technology, engineering and math. And everybody knew it.”

Today, Tyson said, too many Americans mistake clouds for UFOs, believe in alien abductions, reject evolution (known to scientists as the foundation of biology), fear the number 13 and negative numbers, and freak out about supermoons that really aren’t any bigger than regular old full moons.

http://www.greensboro.com/news/scho...cle_f3e72cb4-686c-5af5-9088-fb23b23fae7d.html

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

just flood schools with asians.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

just flood schools with asians.

That won't matter if they're all christian charter schools.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

The problem are the teachers. They are so ensconched in theories about teaching and learning methods and shit they forget to actually teach.

 

[barfo]

The problem are the teachers. They are so ensconched in theories about teaching and learning methods and shit they forget to actually teach.

certainly they forgot to teach spelling.

barfo

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

certainly they forgot to teach spelling.

barfo

yeah, sorry for mispelling on the interwebs.

 

[e_blazer]

In 2012, there were 6.2 million scientists and engineers (as defined in this report) employed in the United States, accounting for 4.8% of total U.S. employment.Feb 19, 2014

https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43061.pdf

Seems like a pretty good number. How many does Neil think we need?

My son has a PhD in physics and I still can't get him to invent cold fusion or an operational time machine. What frickin' good is he?

 

[e_blazer]

certainly they forgot to teach spelling.

barfo

I kind of like the word "ensconched". I think it means ensconced in a conch shell.

 

[barfo]

yeah, sorry for mispelling on the interwebs.

Apology not accepted. You'll no longer be allowed to post here.

barfo

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

this will be my last post.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

ever.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

that one above.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43061.pdf

Seems like a pretty good number. How many does Neil think we need?

My son has a PhD in physics and I still can't get him to invent cold fusion or an operational time machine. What frickin' good is he?

Half as many as illegal Mexicans we have here doesn't seem that impressive.

Maybe we should spend the $20 billion on science education instead of a wall that won't work.




Then laser drones can take care of the illegal problem.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

education is glorified babysitting, especially with all the damned illegals in schools. and thugs!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

and thugs!

 

[e_blazer]

Half as many as illegal Mexicans we have here doesn't seem that impressive.

Maybe we should spend the $20 billion on science education instead of a wall that won't work.




Then laser drones can take care of the illegal problem.

Education is so passe. All kids need to know these days is how to enter a search in Google and have their phone read them the answer.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

Education is so passe. All kids need to know these days is how to enter a search in Google and have their phone read them the answer.

My brother's wife is an elementary school teacher and she was talking to my niece while I was there last year. I told my niece I did something every day and my brother's wife said "yes, he does it 380 days a year"

I uh, well..... I had to correct her so my niece didn't think there were 380 days in a year. Got kinda pissed at me.

 

[barfo]

something = my brother's wife?

barfo

 

[blue32]

certainly they forgot to teach spelling.

barfo

....and grammar.... ;p

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

something = my brother's wife?

barfo

Is your brother's wife hot?

 

[RipCityDSCPL]

GREENSBORO — The United States has plenty of challenges in front of it these days.

The issue of greatest concern to perhaps one of the nation’s most well-known scientists, Neil deGrasse Tyson: Americans know far too little about science.

Americans overall are bad at science. Scared of math. Poor at physics and engineering. Resistant to evolution. This science illiteracy, Tyson told a nearly sold-out crowd at the Greensboro Coliseum on Tuesday night, is a threat to the nation.


“The consequence of that is that you breed a generation of people who do not know what science is nor how and why it works,” he said. “You have mortgaged the future financial security of your nation. Innovations in science and technology are the (basis) of tomorrow’s economy.”

http://www.greensboro.com/news/scho...cle_f3e72cb4-686c-5af5-9088-fb23b23fae7d.html

Maybe you are trying to fool people but I thought it was Mike Tyson concerned about U.S Science Illiteracy. Which would be hilarious.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Maybe you are trying to fool people but I thought it was Mike Tyson concerned about U.S Science Illiteracy. Which would be hilarious.

Click the link, I used their title.

 

[barfo]

Maybe you are trying to fool people but I thought it was Mike Tyson concerned about U.S Science Illiteracy. Which would be hilarious.

It's the same guy. Went back to his birth name, Neil, when he retired from boxing.

barfo

 

[SlyPokerDog]