Popularity of science these days

nmacc

Is it just me, or does it bother anyone else that there are 40 pages of posts in Popular Science and the activity level seems a bit low, yet there are 50 pages and lots of activity in Zombie Survival?

Arse Biscuits!

The vast majority of people are just interested in the final product or the consequence of science, only the scientists, engineers and a handful of people are actually interested in the science & engineering behind it these days. My opinion anyway.

Take for example an iphone. A lot of people have them, how many can actually explain how they work? How many actually care how they work?

Matt Simis

A: Thanks for the tip to look at the Zombie sub-forums more and
B: As a kid I used to read a lot of Jules Verne and such and the impression I got (since somewhat backed up) is that "Science" and Scientists were stand out individuals 100 years ago, in the manner athletes are today, championing their nation and industry.

So that doesnt really exist anymore, but I like to think thats because the level knowledge and usage of scientific process (that of logic and testable/repeatable explanations) plus general understanding of the layman today is vastly higher than it was 100years ago. Science is not really an easily identifiable subject anymore as the label is applied to so many mundane elements of modern life.

One could for example use scientific process within the context of Zombie Survival, as done by the CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/zombies.htm


Personally though people used to continiously buy me "Science" books I always aspired to engineering and invention more than the modern (and largely theory based) interpretation of the sciences.

nesf

I think a lot of people are like me and just read popular science press and books and don't overly feel like talking about it on forums very often.

djpbarry

Matt Simis wrote: »

...general understanding of the layman today is vastly higher than it was 100years ago.

Is it? In what way? Granted, science and technology has advanced enormously over the last century, but could the average person even begin to describe those advances in any detail? As has been said already, people can use an iPhone, but they generally have a very poor grasp of how it works.

All of which reminds me of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c2kyNJ3Omo

Matt Simis

djpbarry wrote: »

Is it? In what way? Granted, science and technology has advanced enormously over the last century, but could the average person even begin to describe those advances in any detail? As has been said already, people can use an iPhone, but they generally have a very poor grasp of how it works.
All of which reminds me of this:

Come on now, Id love to think people were Steampunking it up back then too..
The average person 100years ago was highly superstitious (black cats anyone?), had "backward" understanding of medicine / treatment, had no understanding of gears or even basic mechanics, had completed primary level schooling at best, believe birds influenced the weather and animals and the environment were little more than tools to be exploited in the "now" that had no bearing on their futures etc.

Obviously neither of us were around 100years ago, but I had great grandparents who were and even with the benefit of 100years of the world moving on, their understanding of even average secondary school subjects, let alone genuinely complex topics was, of course, appalling. Note Im not saying they were stupid, but by current standards, grossly ignorant mostly thanks to incomprehensibly (again by our standards) limited travel, education and employment opportunities.

The average person, the factory worker, the field hand, the house wife of 1913. Think of us right now, I can and do learn about history from multiple angles, howto strip down and repair a V12 engine, how to use CAD/CAM simulation, corrected a Physics level 2 paper on flight by learning the drag formula, compiled a linux kernel on multiple esoteric platforms, collaborate in real time on projects at a global level etc on my own time and in my own home.. effectively for free. The equivalent level of "knowledge access" 100years ago likely would be limited to a very very privileged elite per nation.

If you or me were transplanted but mind wiped 100years ago, we would be just as intelligent, but completely incapable of learning the engineering, sciences, history that we need little more than a Smart phone to access today. If you think the level of engineering/sciences understanding at a national level was just the same 100 years ago then you truly do take the world we live in for granted!