The American Museum of Natural History recently did a survey to find out how much people know about water. Turns out, not much.
Fewer than half of those surveyed answered correctly when asked how much of the planet is covered in water (about three-fourths). Hardly anyone knew how much of that water is drinkable (about 1 percent).
It's not the first time a survey has shown how little the American public knows about science; the results of a 1994 museum survey were so bad, museum President Ellen Futter barely raises an eyebrow anymore.
PHOTO: AFP
“I haven't been surprised ... since our first survey, when I saw that 35 percent of the adult population thought that humans lived at the same time as dinosaurs,” she said.
But the survey, which will lead to an exhibit on water next year, is a reminder of an important part of the museum's mission: educating the public.
The museum has scientists on staff who are leading researchers in water conservation science, said Eleanor Sterling, director of the museum's center for biodiversity and conservation. The museum has also reached out to schools, to give research help to students and training opportunities to teachers.
It is what the museum needs to do at a time when science education in schools is lacking, said Futter.
“There is no area of education that is probably worse taught than science,” she said.
Jeff Rudolph, president of the California Science Center in Los Angeles, said he thinks many institutions are getting better at educating the public.
“Our role in education is significantly expanding, particularly within science institutions,” he said. (AP)
美國自然歷史博物館最近進行一項調查，想知道一般人對水了解多少。結果是︰不多。
被問及地球表面由多少水覆蓋時，只有不到一半的受訪者答對（四分之三）。幾乎無人知道有多少水可以飲用（約1%）。
這不是民調第一次顯示出美國大眾對科學的無知，一九九四年博物館民調的結果也慘不忍賭。館長艾倫．富特已司空見慣。
「我並不訝異‥‥‥因為第一次民調顯示居然有35% 的成年人認為人類與恐龍活在相同時期。」
不過這項為籌辦明年水展覽的民調，提醒了人們博物館的重要使命之一︰教育大眾。
博物館的生物多樣性暨保育中心的主任艾蓮諾．史特林說，博物館駐有科學家，是水資源保育科學的頂尖研究員。博物館也拓展至學校，給學生研究方面的幫助，並提供教師受訓機會。
富特表示，在學校科學教育不足的年代，這就是博物館要做的事。
她說︰「大概沒有比科學教得更糟的科目。」
洛杉磯加州科學中心所長傑夫．魯道夫表示，他認為許多機構在教育大眾方面漸入佳境。他說︰「我們的教育角色明顯拓展，尤其在許多科學機構中。」
（美聯社/翻譯︰賴美君）
Computex, Asia’s biggest electronics conference, kicked off Monday in Taipei, and as in years past drew industry chieftains from Nvidia Corp.’s Jensen Huang and Qualcomm Inc.’s Cristiano Amon to Young Liu of Foxconn, which makes the bulk of the world’s iPhones and Nvidia servers. But while last year’s event was a celebration of the post-ChatGPT AI boom, executives this time are likely grappling with the uncertainty of the Trump administration’s effort to reshape the global trade order — disrupting a decades-old model for tech manufacturing. This year’s exhibition will of course feature the hardware required to bring artificial intelligence to life.
For many people, allergies are an all-too-familiar annoyance. The constant sneezing, itching, and watery eyes are just a few clear signs of allergies, which is a surprisingly common condition affecting millions worldwide. But what exactly triggers these reactions, and how can we cope with them? Allergies arise from a misunderstanding between our immune system and seemingly harmless substances. Under normal circumstances, the immune system acts as our body’s personal bodyguard, diligently identifying and eliminating threats like viruses and bacteria. However, in individuals with allergies, the immune system mistakenly identifies certain substances, called allergens, as invaders. This triggers a reaction, leading to
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