Bill Nye: Anti-Science Politicians Endanger Us All | Big Think
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2016
- Bill Nye: Anti-Science Politicians Endanger Us All
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It’s not unusual to hear someone openly say that they can’t do math at all; that they can’t figure out the percentage to tip on a bill. If someone said that chemistry hurts their brain and they can’t even look at an equation, or that they have no idea how a certain part of the human body does what it does, that wouldn’t be too surprising. These are usually light-hearted statements that go down well - many of us would sympathize, nod and say: yeah, me too.
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BILL NYE:
Bill Nye, scientist, engineer, comedian, author, and inventor, is a man with a mission: to help foster a scientifically literate society, to help people everywhere understand and appreciate the science that makes our world work. Making science entertaining and accessible is something Bill has been doing most of his life.
In Seattle Nye began to combine his love of science with his flair for comedy, when he won the Steve Martin look-alike contest and developed dual careers as an engineer by day and a stand-up comic by night. Nye then quit his day engineering day job and made the transition to a night job as a comedy writer and performer on Seattle’s home-grown ensemble comedy show “Almost Live.” This is where “Bill Nye the Science Guy®” was born. The show appeared before Saturday Night Live and later on Comedy Central, originating at KING-TV, Seattle’s NBC affiliate.
While working on the Science Guy show, Nye won seven national Emmy Awards for writing, performing, and producing. The show won 18 Emmys in five years. In between creating the shows, he wrote five children’s books about science, including his latest title, “Bill Nye’s Great Big Book of Tiny Germs.”
Nye is the host of three currently-running television series. “The 100 Greatest Discoveries” airs on the Science Channel. “The Eyes of Nye” airs on PBS stations across the country.
Bill’s latest project is hosting a show on Planet Green called “Stuff Happens.” It’s about environmentally responsible choices that consumers can make as they go about their day and their shopping. Also, you’ll see Nye in his good-natured rivalry with his neighbor Ed Begley. They compete to see who can save the most energy and produce the smallest carbon footprint. Nye has 4,000 watts of solar power and a solar-boosted hot water system. There’s also the low water use garden and underground watering system. It’s fun for him; he’s an engineer with an energy conservation hobby.
Nye is currently the Executive Director of The Planetary Society, the world’s largest space interest organization.
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TRANSCRIPT:
Bill Nye: Ebola’s a classic example for me from an evolutionary standpoint of germs and parasites being your real enemy as a big animal, a multicellular organism. Everybody’s terrified of Ebola because you can’t see it and as the saying goes this is not my idea. People aren’t afraid of dying so much as they’re afraid of how they’re going to die. And the Ebola death looks horrible. It’s awful. And what’s making it worse in Africa in particular is scientific illiteracy. People not realizing that these microorganisms get passed from one to another. When I was in South Africa - I guess it’s five years ago a guy told a story - he was from a village, a small village. He was working for the South African Space Agency which they have. And he says it’s going to villages where kids have never seen a magnet and they recommend that you don’t go near that tree because the lightening bird landed on that tree and that means that tree will get struck by lightning and the tree branch will fall on you. And that’s not true by the way. So by having a population of people who don’t really understand germs and how serious they are, the germ gets spread really readily. As far as people freaking out here in the U.S., it’s appropriate. However, the same legislatures when it comes to climate change say well I’m not a scientist. I can’t have an opinion on climate change sure have a lot of opinions about Ebola. There’s a faction of our leaders, elected officials, who continually cuts the budget for the Centers for Disease Control which, to me reflects an ignorance of how serious germs can be.
I remind us all that in 1918 more people died of what was called the Spanish Flu than died from World War I which killed a lot of people. The Spanish Flu killed - the estimates vary but about 50 million people died of the flu. And when you think ...
For the full transcript, check out bigthink.com/videos/bill-nye-...
The sheer amount of scientifically illiterate people in this country disturbs me to my very core. Sometimes I can fool myself that this isn't an issue, from speaking and listening to my group of literate friends, but it's always overshadowed by the looming mass of ignorance led by politicians and the media. It fills me with a sense of loneliness which is rooted into my bones.
The sheer *number* of scientifically illiterate people.
People are countable.
Plumjelly bruh shut up you know what he means
You're not the only one it seems that public intellectuals are disappearing out of the mainstream culture sometimes u even start thinking you're crazy that there really can't be such ignorance and then lo and behold your surprised more everyday. by the depth of human ignorance and its loud echo that masses of fools proclaim as genius...
Yes, I know what he means, otherwise I couldn't have made the correction.
Usually I would overlook such a mistake, but he seemed like the kind of person who would care about using his words correctly.
@@alexluna6745 It's unbelievable at times. Let's take the concept of evolution for example, i.e. the better adapted organisms survive, the worse adapted die.
Even in the most scientific literate countries roughly 10% don't believe in evolution, while it can go as high as 40% straight up denying and additional 20% doubting the concept of evolution in the US, making it seem like this 'movement' is in the majority by now...
I'd hardly call the, skeptics. They seem to deny science more on ideological grounds than intellectual grounds.
Some people just don't like their beliefs being challenged.
In regards to the ignition switch...
“A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.” ― Douglas Adams
You look worn out Bill. Maybe even depressed. Hope everything's ok.
DARKHITEKT He's sick of humanity's shit, literally.
says the guy who just insulted one of America's most beloved science educators
Worn down by people who think climate change is propaganda.
+Red Lion , you have to have an ego when you are getting hated on by ignorant people all the time. Bill Nye allowed me to have a greater understanding of the world... if it was not for his influence, I would be working with agriculture today
this is depressing
Science is the last thing that needs to be cut from the budget.
Perhaps less military? Seriously, one war at this point is going to destroy a huge amount of the population.
Are you sure we just don’t need to load down the country with churches and let’s just pray for everything we want or if we get sick to be healed ,that sounds like the more ....should I say intelligent choice? Giggle
It’s frightening how scientifically illiterate we are ....as a middle school science teacher I’m trying to “change the world”....thank you Mr Nye
People like you are the reason I have lost all faith in the American public education system.
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I like Bill Nye, but the comments on his videos always seem to be full of atheists patting each other on the back for not being religious. I'm not religious either, but I wish Big Think would challenge its viewers more by exposing them to ideas they don't already hold, or push them to personally take some type of action.
There seems to be a sense of satisfaction that people get merely from "Being on the Right Side" that might make them complacent towards trying to actually improve the planet, beyond just cracking jokes about how dumb they think Christians are.
It's just that religion has no new arguments, all the evidence is still based on unobservable anecdotal evidence and 1500+ years old books. It's scientifically proven that humans thrive in communities they agree with, which is why atheists may say that "great you found the logical spot although you once were indoctrinated to a narrative", just like christians pat each other at the back for not worshipping satan..
Even in my comment about how people here are too focused on criticizing religion, I am only getting responses criticizing religion.
I get it: you guys don't like religion. We're all very clear about that. My point is that we can expand the conversation beyond just agreeing with each other about atheism without that somehow being an endorsement of religion. There's certainly a lot more to say and do about climate change than just resting on our laurels that at least we're Pro-Science unlike the Other People.
Have you actually seen the comment section.. Half of it are people calling what bill is saying bullshit.
Nice try Christian
I wish I had more votes for you. There's nothing like watching outspoken atheists circle-jerking wherever they can find even the slightest opportunity to justify doing so, not realizing that all they've really accomplished is creating a separate and slightly smarter group of self-righteous, condescending assholes from the religious variety.
"Stop and appreciate how complicated these things are."
As someone who keeps trying to fix my own motorcycle due to lack of money, I _do_ have the time to appreciate the complexity of these machines. I have *plenty* of time to 'appreciate' that.
(As amazing as it is, fixing this damned thing is frustration incarnate.)
Did your bike get better? Could you fix it?
Do you use 13/18 or 11/18 wrench?
Get a Chilton or Hayes manual
my religious education teacher, said today: "Death isn't part of the human nature, if there wasn't evil there wouldn't be any deaths" Me and my friend were the only students to say :"WHAT????????" (unfortunately)
Religious education teacher. I feel sorry for you.
Even from a religious point of view that makes no sense at all.
Jesus died and he wasnt evil. So yea makes no sense at all.Ultimately death has no good or evil side.In nature death gives way for life
If you take the 1000 years old story literally, Adam and Eve were immortal until they ate from the tree of knowledge.
Are you sure about that?
"Science ain't no good or useful, i only trust Baaaaaby Jesus!", says that while using a PC, a wifi connexion and the internet...
ikr? The irony is so thick you can cut it with a knife!
and they use antibiotics while denying evolution.
yea ahahahahahahaa conservatives are stupid am i right high five lets let in millions of muslims now to spite them
Maybe they'll kill each other, kill two stones with one bird.
91plm religion is evil the mind control by conmen faith= gullibility
This aged well
Bill Nye and Neil DeGrasse Tyson inspired me to become an engineer. Now I'm getting my B.S. In electrical and computer engineering
Glad you still support and admire them
Lets not forget about the greatest strides man achieved. To me, the most important things which makes everything else possible are: Clean drinking water. Hand washing. Vaccinations. Treatment of bacterial infections, and lastly, education. I can't say enough about clean drinking water. Dysentery used to kill people by the bajillions. Simply washing your hands reduces bacterial and viral counts low enough to make them less likely to be transmitted by direct contact. I'm old enough to know people that had childhood polio. I'm old enough to have been deliberately exposed to chickenpox so I would have a lifelong immunity to it. Chickenpox is deadly to adults. The population of the United States has doubled since I was born. I'm trying to decide whether that's good or bad, but I'm glad to live in an era where almost all infants reach adulthood. I was able have clean water, and endless supply of food, warm shelter, Johnny Carson, the first few seasons of SNL, and I got to watch the moon missions on B&W TV. Man, what an awesome life I've been given because of science.
You start arguing for a better educated populous rather than arguing for a less skeptical one. But use an example of planned obsolescence to back your argument. Ultimately ending on "understand how these things work".
From political or religious ideologies to drugs, skepticism to unchecked economic greed, without balance anything in excess is a bad thing.
BILL NYE FOR PRESIDENT 2016!!!
Red Lion but yes.
why not
I'd register for that
could you imagine going to a Bill Ney presidential rally, with the entire Millennial generation chanting, "BILL BILL BILL BILL BILL BILL BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GUY!!!"
I'd write him in if I wasn't so afraid of Trump being elected
A lot of these people react irrationally not necessarily because they don't know science, but because their emotions block their critical thinking capacities.
Without 'skepticism' there is no *_Science_*.
Bill's bow tie looks like a really good candy. i love it! oh and yeah we need scientifically literate politicians....but that bow tie!
“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
~Martin Luther King, Jr.
correction: Not science skeptics, but rather science deniers!
I think of the difference like this. Science skeptics believe it when they see it, science deniers don't want to see or believe it.
I consider myself a skeptic of anything including science but if you show me the proof then I will concede the point. For example, I admit that climate change is real and caused by human activity, but I am quite skeptical of whether or not humanity is taking steps to resolve that issue.
@@kingdellxValdez Skepticism is the backbone of science, and that goes both ways for results you like and don't like.
This was BEFORE Covid. Little did he know... Deniers abound
I'm with you on spreading awareness. Humans have collectively shaped almost the entire planet into our image. I fear we'll only keep doing so with ignorance to the changes that deforestation, pollution, and mass/mono farms have on the global weather/climate scale.
Either Bill is tired or he's getting tired of repeating himself over the years with nobody listening. I've seen dozens of videos over the years of him, among others, voicing these problems and they honestly must feel like they're talking to a brick wall sometimes. I feel bad for him.
I think it is good to skeptical about something first. Don't blindly believe or blindly disbelieve
I feel your frustration, Bill...
This is frustrating and painful to watch now after how crazy the last few years have gotten...
it's so important to remember science helps us explain how things are and how they work, it's not opinionated or political.
If they don't appreciate science can't we turn off their electricity? That's what they want.
love you Bill Nye....keep educating people, it's our only hope!
Do you guys have a podcast?
Thank you for everything Mr. Nye.
I thought the CDC was a private organization. Shouldn't private organizations fund themselves?
No, it's under the department of health and human services. It's public.
joshua c it is part of the american government
I'm extremely left-wing, but even if the CDC was a private company, it deserves funding.
If we only listened Bill Nye the science guy he literally predicted the future .
Five years ago? I was there that same time!
So mofucking Zapdos is near some small village at the outskirts of south africa?
Bill, what should we reduce spending in?
Military.
Military bases and election merchandise.
Social security.
YourReputationIsOutThere.com military spending
Medicare, medicaid, social security, and subsidies. But, we need to have more money coming in not just to make cuts to a lot of existing programs. We need to make the income tax relevant for the super wealthy. The wealthy get their money from investments and dividends which is taxed significantly less than standard means of income. But nothing ever changes because our government isn't run by the people, it's run by special interest groups.
Yes we use the lightning bird as a metaphor. Later on we teach them the reality.
Maybe just skip the volcano fairy when doing geology.
Actually, it's politicians who believe that government must fund and direct science that are holding back progress.
"faction of congress" "A certain group of elected officials"
BIll, just say republicans. we all know you mean republicans.
I doubt it was an engineer who decided to make the pin shorter, it was probably some bean counter who thought, "Wow, we can save $70 million if we make this pin 1/4mm shorter"
The Congressional hearing over the CDCs response to two infected nurses in Texas was akin to giving someone a cup of gas to drive on, then getting mad because they barely moved.
I consider it an extremely dangerous doctrine, because the more likely we are to assume that the solution comes from the outside, the less likely we are to solve our problems ourselves.”
-Carl Sagan
I love how a video about science denial gets proceeded by an ad featuring a guru.
Good stuff bill!
Such an important issue. Possibly the most important of our time as it affects everything.
Unfortunately, people hold their ideology above reproach. It is evident on both sides of the political spectrum and keeps society from progressing on pressing issues.
imagine our military budget became science budget
We'd advance so much
Scientists should always be open to skepticism. Without skepticism, there would be no science. We'd still be praying for the sun god to vanquish the moon god every night, instead of putting a man on a soundstage in Burbank, I mean on the moon.
redlegagent I see lots of confirmation bias on both sides of the issue.
He seems so sad!
Sometimes it is like trying to use a log as a toothpick to get people to finally get it! Science, people, is a NECESSITY!
My dentist is the brother of the American Doctor who almost died from Ebola.
Yeah. It’s horrible.
I wonder how a country with a scientist as president and scientists in the parliment would like?
Better
Enjoyed this pep talk
So did I, and go, Dogecoin picture!
No, the problem is the science is sufficient enough to convince politicians.
bill nye bill nye bill nye the science guy. loved that show as a kid. personally its my opinion that science needs to be given similar treatment as judges and politicians are in the government. maybe make a new branch for it and place some authority behind it. otherwise the non scientifically minded will always be in control of things they do not understand in a competent enough manner. as for the anti science issue that was bound to occur with a religious test being required for most government positions of power. they have to cater to the religious and that often does not translate well in governance. your right though we can change the world unfortunately as big as it is change will be slow in coming. still slow and steady wins the race right.
That declarations were prophetic
Bill himself sounds a bit under the weather :( If so, get well soon!
Fear endangers us all. We need to educate, not herd, and science advocates are failing in this - know the epistomology behind science _and_ empirical thought, respect each other, and keep calm. You're not dealing with robots, you're not dealing with stupidity when talking to people that are anti-science, you're not even dealing with ignorance, you're dealing with ignorance of specific issues coming from very complicated, very conflicted individuals, and there's a monumental difference.
I've always said and believe death is just the continuation of evolving as a sentient being . being forced to die horribly and in dire circumstances, in these organic vessels, because of false morality, is not on my to do list .
WTF?!
There should be an IQ test for aspiring politicians, or maybe a set of entrance exams for Congress in the sciences. Having political leaders who know bugger-all about biology, medicine, physics, IT, engineering etc is just stupid in a technological society.
Some topics I would suggest, Chaos theory, The end of reductionism, and publication bias. After that then we can talk about certainty. That is if you're willing to put forth the effort to educate yourself.
And here we are in the future. Living in the reality where this level headed talk is still fairly controversial.
I love and appreciate Bill but could he have chosen a more out of touch example than the lack of regulations on home elevators?
Every day that goes by Bill Nye's faith in humanity dies alittle more.
No Sciemce skeptics. Skepticism is an important part of the scientific method.
It's science CYNICISM that is holding bsck science.
I fucking love Bill Nye.
Thank you bill
Hey! I just remembered why I never read Big Think comment sections.
I'm skeptic of actors playing the role of scientists and informed thinkers.
much respect to Bill Nye and his science communication in educating others
Skeptics are good scientists.
Well clearly Bill is frustrated in this video, which is off brand for him. I guess we are all really screwed!
I certainly understand what he is feeling, as an unemployed engineer I feel the same way as Bill.
He's been like that for the past few years whenever climate change has been brought up.
There's been a steady increase in disbelief in climate change. People are already forgetting its significance, because of political propaganda and misleading research on the internet.
Political year, everyone is having every problem no matter how minor or large thrown at them. Or just vote for me because i'm not the other person.
hey there guy. I hate to tell you but if it weren't for those people who say "wait maybe we should think about this" we would have destroyed ourselves loooooong ago...
Nye isn't a scientist or a politician.
He's literally an engineer.
Mechanical engineer. Which is a glorified mechanic.
you are clearly trolling
I do hope you're joking
Glorified mechanics are recruited by NASA to add Sundials (Marsdials in this case) to Mars rovers that can withstand space travel nowadays huh?
I wouldn't say I'm afraid of death, I'm ready for it. I'm just afraid of the potential pain involved.
I completely understand. I'm not sure how old you are, but I know that because I was born in the 90s, I could live to be 200. Currently, there are 2 branches that look promising for prolonging life.
1.) genetic research. Studies have shown that you can revert adult human cells, back into stem cells. So in my 80s, this technology should be ready to give me a full stem cell rejuvenation.
2.) blending biology with machinery. I could have my mom's replaced by cybernetic limbs. And as my organs fail, I can have them replaced with cybernetic organs.
I hope the scientists screw up and we all accidentally age 2x speed that would be crazy can you imagine the sitcoms??
The reverting adult cells to stem cells paper got retracted when it couldn't be replicated and I think they found the researcher had doctored their data if i remember right.
who the hell has an elevator in their home?
People with 3 story homes.
...and dysfunctional legs...
I think there is a silver lining often times Scientists implement new ideas and tech before fully understanding all the potential repercussion's, this is risky because financial incentive and short cutting DOES exist in the scientific echelons, and the community though they adhere to the scientific principle, they are merely imperfect human beings.
You see it as holding us back, I see it as ensuring scientists have accountability, it may be a hassle but if Scientists are compelled to be more transparent, and open with their research. In the _long run_ that will be more beneficial for our species.
Back in the 80's, I had a job and if I felt a cold coming on...I would take antibiotics for a couple of days and it always stopped the cold in it's tracks and I didn't have to miss work. Since then, I have told my doctor about this and he was skeptical, but I did this experiment for 10 years and it ALWAYS worked. So there has to be some reason it worked for MY viruses!
SynergyCeleste
a virus can't be treated by antibacterials. Disease caused by bacteria, like the common cold can be. So, whatever you had must have been a bacterial disease, not a virus. It's also a bad idea to treat every minor illness you get with antibacterials because it leads to antibacterial resistant bacteria.
I haven't been sick in 8 years because I don't want too. This is why science works.
It's called "placebo effect" and it accounts for roughly 25% of all cure rates.
Delilah Fox
Yes I know about resistance now...this was the 80's. Usually I was getting the symptoms of a head cold, itchy throat and stuffiness.
ExtantFrodo2
That doesn't explain why it worked for 10 years!
A bit confusing rant, but true.
❤ Science= ❤ Humanity
Agreed but tell that to these science hating dumbasses
Bill needs to understand that disagreeing with a theory isn't anti-science. It's extremely naive to think this is the pinnacle of scientific understanding, and that anything that could completely rework our understanding of the universe doesn't exist.
Problem is they're disagreeing with it based on no rational evidence. Lets disagree because it's a liberal left wing conspiracy. That's not evidence. We have empirical data that the earth is getting hotter and that CO2 levels are rising at a faster rate than any point in history, including pre-human history. Those are both facts.
Disagreeing with a theory (in the non-scientific sense of the word, as the scientific sense would mean something like the theory of gravity. It just theorizes on HOW it works based on observations, but you wouldnt argue against the fact that gravity works) is perfectly eligible. Disagreeing with facts that are proven by empirical evidence is plain stupid.
Earthium Care to share a link to your science claims?
Also using your example of gravity we can conclude that gravity happens and the climate is different.
But the WHY it is happening is a theory.
1) Here is data a citation to NASA that has the global temperatures raising: climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/global-temperature/.
2) Here is data from Mauna loa observatory that has been recording the CO2 levels: www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/.
3) Here is the data of CO2 IR spectrum: webbook.nist.gov/cgi/cbook.cgi?ID=C124389&Type=IR-SPEC&Index=1.
4) Here is an estimate of the consumption of gasoline in the United States: www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=23&t=10
5) Here is a composition of gasoline: chemistry.elmhurst.edu/vchembook/514gasoline.html
6) Citation of a combusion reaction: www.iun.edu/~cpanhd/C101webnotes/chemical%20reactions/combustion.html
7) Formula to convert radiation to temperature: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan%E2%80%93Boltzmann_law
8) phase diagram of CO2 on page: chem.libretexts.org/Core/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry/Physical_Properties_of_Matter/States_of_Matter/Phase_Transitions/Phase_Diagrams
So here are my links for my claim to support the claim that humans cause climate change. Now you will notice that these are factual data. So the logic is that oil, gas, whatever, is almost all hydrocarbons(5) which undergo combusion reactions(6). Now that gives of CO2 which in it's natural state is a gas(8) so it goes to the atmosphere, so that is the reason for the CO2 increases(2). As CO2 increases it emits Infrared radiation(3) which increases heat(7), which would cause the temperature to rise (1).
Now the point I was making was you disagree on no rational evidence, so you are saying you have a way to explain why the temperature of the earth and CO2 is rising that is not mine that is equally as good or better than what I said.
Now the two stupid things people normally say is the data I linked is wrong, which does not provide a theory that is equal or better to explain these phenomena of higher temperatures and higher CO2. Which is what normally leads into the liberal left wing conspiracy because why would someone fake data for 50 years in both the temperature of the earth and CO2 to sell higher efficiency light bulbs.
The other stupid thing people say is that CO2 levels were that high in history before, or the climate naturally does that. That is an entirely different argument that is bad as well because we have used ice cores to measure the CO2 and at no point in the entire history has it changed at this _rate_. The rate at which CO2 is changing is the problem what normally takes the earth a millions of years to do, we will do in less than 100.
Data shows temperature is increasing.
It doesn't show why.
So, no one asked a question for Bill Nye today?
How many times did he have to tell us that he is an engineer? lol
Forget the engineers, go shake the hand of your nearest tradesman who told them how to actually make it. Pfft, that ain't no datum! (Except Manufacturing Engineers, they are alright, I guess.)
word
AI gets rid of the human element, which I suppose in the case of cars will ideally save lives. And I couldn't agree more with that. But when Americans get on big think and start saying AI will also save lives in a military capacity, I have to be skeptical as clearly not all lives matter when it comes to Americans using deadly force. We can change the world bill, but we have to be very careful that we don't change it for the worse.
And here we are failing on Covid-19.
It's all central to that book they've never actually read 😑
Who are the science deniers? Call them out.
This aged like wine
50 million in 1 year. YIKES.
Poor Bill. Ever heard of the Armageddon Lobby (aka: Christian Zionism)? I was raised in this culture, and even as a kid it creeped me out. It's bigger than people realize because they don't _exactly_ advertise it; they're more subtle than that. My parents are Evangelical Christians, and they give money to political candidates who support their view that the USA should have Christian law. I was an adult learning about evolution online by myself because they're in our schools, our government, and our courts. Climate Change just tells them it's working, OF COURSE THEY IGNORE IT!
Big trucks can actually emit as much pollution as 150 cars each, yet they go almost unregulated in the US.
I'll take climate change seriously when laws are blanket inclusive and get serious for everyone.
I would blindly elect a random person from Big Think before electing our current candidates of Giant Douche and Turd Sandwich.
Hey Bill Nye, can you do quantum mechanics? I haven't seen a good article in well, ever. Other than when I explained the double slit experiment, I haven't touched on it to much. I got much to say. Give me a job Planetary Society. Heh, I generally agree with you Nye. Other than religion and creation. But that's OK right.
2020. It's getting worse..
The first problem is that politicians think that citizens and science exists to serve the economy when in fact, the economy is subject to the constraints of the environment as determined by science and, being a creation of humanity, exists to serve the citizenry. The second problem is that very few scientists become politicians. It is no surprise that those that do become politicians, often those with a political science, legal or economic background, favor policies that tend towards maintaining the status quo and their belief in the primacy of the economy above all else. When science supports the status quo, they support it and fund it. When science runs contrary to the status quo, they ridicule it and don’t fund it. Why, because rocking the boat is unpopular and costly - in the short run, even though the opposite will be true in the long run. There is always an element of uncertainty to scientific findings. It’s hard to justify drastic changes in the face of such uncertainty - especially so when the subject and it’s associated uncertainty are poorly understood by both the lawmakers and the public. It’s politically easier to attempt to deal with the crisis after it occurs, rather than to try to prevent one. This reactive strategy is particularly dangerous as it prevents society from taking actions to avert disasters and quite likely will permit existential hazards and threats to terminate the human species. To remedy this situation and to make politics more responsive, we need more science-based policies and to achieve that, we simply need MORE scientists to become politicians.
Better engineering just leads to bigger idiots...
I don't recommend to ANYONE that he or she read the comments nor engage in discussions with the people on BigThink videos. It's absolute CANCER.
Well this aged like bread. Lol science literally doomed people by bullying them into taking those covid shots. Well done y’all…
Oh shut up