Houston, we have a problem.
“Wait, where is Houston?” some American adults may be asking. According to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, Americans are not smarter than a fifth grader…and maybe not even be smarter than a fourth grader.
The report, released Thursday, gave the American Public a “D” grade on basic science. The sample of U.S. adults were quizzed on astrology and astronomy (they had a difficult time deciphering which one was which), and geology among other basic science facts.
On average, participants got a score of 66 percent.
“How much Americans appear to know about science depends on the kinds of questions asked, of course,” the study explained.
Aside from the kinds of questions asked, the Los Angeles Times reported some other distinguishing factors that contributed to participant’s grades. For instance, those who earned some type of advance degree did better (by at least three points) than those who only completed high school. In a closer margin, men performed better on the test than women, and whites scored better than Latinos or African Americans.
Though the participants didn’t get the coveted “A+” grade to take home to Mom and Dad to display on the refrigerator, they did answer some basic questions correctly. Eighty-six percent of people correctly answered the easiest question: Which of Earth’s layers is the hottest? (Hint: it’s the core).
The question that had the most people grappling with test-taking anxiety? A question about how altitude affects water’s boiling temperature. Only 34 percent correctly answered that the boiling point would be lower in Denver than in Los Angeles.
To the majority of participants with bad grades, have no fear! Common Core, an education initiative that seeks to streamline education, is here to help! Or is it?
