Happy Science Day, the country of dunno!
On Science Day, February 8, 2011, the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTSIOM) presented the results of a study on the most common scientific misconceptions of Russians.
The majority of respondents are sure that radioactivity is the work of human hands (55%). Our fellow citizens are also convinced that antibiotics kill viruses as well as bacteria (46%). A third of respondents seriously believe that the Sun revolves around the Earth (32%), and over the past four years there have been even more such respondents (from 28% in 2007). A slightly smaller proportion of Russians claim that the first humans lived in the same era as dinosaurs (29%).
About a quarter of our fellow citizens mistakenly believe that the laser works by focusing sound waves (26%). A fifth of respondents seriously believe that the mother's genes determine the sex of the child (20% versus 25% in 2007) and that the Earth makes a complete revolution around the Sun in one month (from 14% in 2007 to 20% in 2011). Approximately the same proportion of Russians deny that electrons are smaller than atoms (18%) and do not believe that humans evolved from early human species (17%).
Somewhat less often, Russians tend to deny the fact that the oxygen we breathe is produced by plants (14%) and that radioactive milk can be made harmless by boiling it (11%). In the minority are those who disagree with such discoveries as the movement of continents (9%) and the high temperature of the center of the Earth (8%)
Scientific misconceptions are more common to women than men. Thus, women are more likely to believe that radioactivity is the work of human hands (58% vs. 51% among men), believe in the ability of antibiotics to kill viruses as well as bacteria (48% vs. 43%, respectively) and are more likely to claim that the Sun is a satellite of the Earth (34% vs. 29%, respectively). However, there is an exception: men more often than women believe that the laser works by focusing sound waves (29% vs. 23% among women).
The initiative All-Russian VTSIOM survey was conducted on January 29-30, 2011. 1,600 people were interviewed in 138 localities in 46 regions, territories and republics of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.
Do you agree with the following statement: Does the sun revolve around the Earth? |
2007 | 2011 |
I agree | 28 | 32 |
I don't agree | 67 | 62 |
I find it difficult to answer | 5 | 6 |
Do you agree with the following statement: Is the center of the Earth very hot? |
||
I agree | 75 | 76 |
I don't agree | 8 | 8 |
I find it difficult to answer | 17 | 16 |
Do you agree with the following statement: Does the oxygen we breathe come from plants? |
||
I agree | 83 | 78 |
I don't agree | 11 | 14 |
I find it difficult to answer | 6 | 8 |
Do you agree with the following statement: Can radioactive milk be made safe if it is boiled? |
||
I agree | 14 | 11 |
I don't agree | 67 | 71 |
I find it difficult to answer | 19 | 18 |
Do you agree with the following statement: Are electrons smaller than atoms? |
||
I agree | 48 | 52 |
I don't agree | 20 | 18 |
I find it difficult to answer | 32 | 29 |
Do you agree with the following statement: The continents we live on have been moving for millions of years and will continue to move in the future? |
||
I agree | 72 | 71 |
I don't agree | 8 | 9 |
I find it difficult to answer | 19 | 20 |
Do you agree with the following statement: The sex of the child is determined by the genes of the mother? |
||
I agree | 25 | 20 |
I don't agree | 46 | 47 |
I find it difficult to answer | 29 | 33 |
Do you agree with the following statement: Did the first humans live in the same era as dinosaurs? |
||
I agree | 30 | 29 |
I don't agree | 45 | 46 |
I find it difficult to answer | 24 | 26 |
Do you agree with the following statement: Do antibiotics kill viruses as well as bacteria? |
||
I agree | 45 | 46 |
I don't agree | 30 | 31 |
I find it difficult to answer | 25 | 23 |
Do you agree with the following statement: Does the laser work by focusing sound waves? |
||
I agree | 26 | 26 |
I don't agree | 31 | 29 |
I find it difficult to answer | 43 | 45 |
Do you agree with the following statement: All radioactivity is the work of human hands? |
||
I agree | 57 | 55 |
I don't agree | 30 | 31 |
I find it difficult to answer | 12 | 15 |
Do you agree with the following statement: Have modern humans evolved from early human species? |
||
I agree | 61 | 61 |
I don't agree | 16 | 17 |
I find it difficult to answer | 23 | 22 |
Do you agree with the following statement: Does the Earth complete a complete revolution around the Sun in one month? |
||
I agree | 14 | 20 |
I don't agree | 61 | 54 |
I find it difficult to answer | 25 | 26 |
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru08.02.2011