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Most Americans Do Know Something About Science After All
By: Patricia Salber MD, MBA (@docweighsin)
Scientific knowledge is mostly alive and well in America with a majority (~70%) of Americans scoring a medium” or high level of knowledge on the Pew survey.
In an era where anti-science attitudes seem to be running rampant, it is refreshing to learn that most Americans do know something about science after all.
The Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan, non-advocacy “fact tank,” just published the results of a survey on American’s knowledge of science and scientific processes. Overall, it showed, that we are not as bad at science as I thought.
Yes, we have climate change deniers who refuse to believe it’s happening despite overwhelming evidence that global warming is wreaking havoc on the planet. And, we have measles, mumps, and chickenpox outbreaks because anti-vaxxers cling to the belief that vaccines cause autism. This despite reams of high-quality scientific literature that has debunked this fraudulent theory over and over again.
But these folks are, in reality, a vocal minority who are able to amplify their messages via social media and clever use of other types of media.
Thankfully, we can find some solace in the results of the Pew survey. It found that more than 70% of those…
