Ptolemy makes a comeback.... in Russia

[Squawk]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/14/russia_poll/

Just wow

Those of you brought up in the heliocentric tradition are advised to look away now, because a poll has revealed that one-third of Russians favour the Ptolemaic model of our solar system.

A shaken spokeswoman for state pollster VsTIOM admitted on Friday that a survey of 1,600 across Russia confirmed the worst: 32 per cent of citizens reckon the Sun revolves around the Earth.

In a further blow to the Russian education system, 29 per cent confidently stated that the first humans, presumably clad like Raquel Welch in animal skin bikinis, battled the dinosaurs for control of the solar system's centre.

In response to a moderately more challenging question, 55 per cent of Russians asserted that "all radioactivity is man-made".

The aforementioned spokeswoman, Olga Kamenchuk, gasped: "It's really quite amazing.

"All of [the questions] were absolutely obvious ... the data speaks of the low levels of education in the country."

Kamenchuk did, though, concede that people who weren't required in their everyday lives to routinely answer posers such as "Did humans evolve while the dinosaurs were still alive?", might be forgiven for forgetting the correct answer.

The poll has a 3.4 per cent margin of error, Reuters notes, so the results could be slightly less sobering, or a tad more terrifying

 

[Duvelthehobbit666]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/14/russia_poll/

Just wow

Those of you brought up in the heliocentric tradition are advised to look away now, because a poll has revealed that one-third of Russians favour the Ptolemaic model of our solar system.

A shaken spokeswoman for state pollster VsTIOM admitted on Friday that a survey of 1,600 across Russia confirmed the worst: 32 per cent of citizens reckon the Sun revolves around the Earth.

In a further blow to the Russian education system, 29 per cent confidently stated that the first humans, presumably clad like Raquel Welch in animal skin bikinis, battled the dinosaurs for control of the solar system's centre.

In response to a moderately more challenging question, 55 per cent of Russians asserted that "all radioactivity is man-made".

The aforementioned spokeswoman, Olga Kamenchuk, gasped: "It's really quite amazing.

"All of [the questions] were absolutely obvious ... the data speaks of the low levels of education in the country."

Kamenchuk did, though, concede that people who weren't required in their everyday lives to routinely answer posers such as "Did humans evolve while the dinosaurs were still alive?", might be forgiven for forgetting the correct answer.

The poll has a 3.4 per cent margin of error, Reuters notes, so the results could be slightly less sobering, or a tad more terrifying

:facepalm:
Worst part is that I can see this happen in other countries.

 

[Anachronous Rex]

You know, I really try not to be a cold-war stereotype of my nation, but...

Is it just me or is the entire country a post-apocalyptic wasteland of vulgar, misinformed, hyper-aggressive troglodytes; punctuated by obscene wealth and excess amidst endless poverty. C'mon Russia, I want to like you, but you have to give me something to work with here - just do anything good, anything at all.

EDIT: okay, this was funny:

 

[Pulsar]

A shaken spokeswoman for state pollster VsTIOM admitted on Friday that a survey of 1,600 across Russia confirmed the worst: 32 per cent of citizens reckon the Sun revolves around the Earth.

Well, considering that, according to wiki,

A study done in 2005 by Dr. Jon D. Miller of Northwestern University, an expert in the public understanding of science and technology, found that one adult American in five thinks the Sun revolves around the Earth

I'd say the Russians become more and more western

In response to a moderately more challenging question, 55 per cent of Russians asserted that "all radioactivity is man-made".

Understandable, given the way they messed up.

 

[Divergedwoods]

I can almost see the motivational poster "in soviet Russia, sun revolves round you"

 

[Duvelthehobbit666]

I can almost see the motivational poster "in soviet Russia, sun revolves round you"

I will allow you to make it.

 

[RigelKentaurusA]

Colour me skeptical.

I'd like to see the survey.

A part of me doesn't want to believe any reasonably well developed country would have citizens that scientifically illiterate.

 

[Master_Ghost_Knight]

Colour me skeptical.

I'd like to see the survey.

A part of me doesn't want to believe any reasonably well developed country would have citizens that scientifically illiterate.

Don't you live in America? HELLO!! Creationists!!!
There are stupid people as there are molecules of air.

 

[televator]

Colour me skeptical.

I'd like to see the survey.

A part of me doesn't want to believe any reasonably well developed country would have citizens that scientifically illiterate.

The United States of America is numba' one!!!!!1111eleven!!! Home to the Pat Robertson, climate denial central, and theme parks and "museums" that get their facts from the flint stones.

 

[RigelKentaurusA]

I do live in the US. Even the Creationists I know accept at least the heliocentric model of the Universe. I don't think I've ever actually met a geocentrist, even in the US. Maybe I've been the victim of a cruel statistical quirk.

 

[televator]

Well, I mean.... People believe the earth is 6k years old and that people walked beside dinosaurs here and others believe the sun revolves around the earth in Russia.... Same difference in terms of levels of delusion IMO....

 

[Independent Vision]

So they asked an estimated 0.001 percent of the Russian population? I hate that kind of "statistics".

While the Russian education system isn't all that good, I don't think a poll that only asked 0.001 percent of the population can be deemed very accurate at all. I also want to know HOW it was done. Go out onto a random street and ask the question? Visit a random home? Which age groups? Which social groups? Did they just send out an email to random Russians?

Doesn't statistics like that show that something like... 50% of US citizens can't point to their own country on a blind map? And that over 50% of Brits don't believe in evolution?

 

[RigelKentaurusA]

Well, I mean.... People believe the earth is 6k years old and that people walked beside dinosaurs here and others believe the sun revolves around the earth in Russia.... Same difference in terms of levels of delusion IMO....

That's a fair point.

Doesn't statistics like that show that something like... 50% of US citizens can't point to their own country on a blind map? And that over 50% of Brits don't believe in evolution?

Yeah. That's my thinking as well.

 

[Anachronous Rex]

So they asked an estimated 0.001 percent of the Russian population? I hate that kind of "statistics".

While the Russian education system isn't all that good, I don't think a poll that only asked 0.001 percent of the population can be deemed very accurate at all. I also want to know HOW it was done. Go out onto a random street and ask the question? Visit a random home? Which age groups? Which social groups? Did they just send out an email to random Russians?

Doesn't statistics like that show that something like... 50% of US citizens can't point to their own country on a blind map? And that over 50% of Brits don't believe in evolution?

Indeed. The belittling tone of the OP article also rouses my suspicion. Doesn't seem terribly objective.