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Many adults cannot name a scientist

30 June 2009

Dimitri-IvanovskyUSA Today’s Snapshot for 29 June was a survey in which 1000 adults were asked to name a famous scientist. Here are the results:

47% named Albert Einstein
23% could not name anyone
6% named Marie Curie
4% named Louis Pasteur
4% named Thomas Edison

The survey was conducted by L’Oreal, but the methods were not revealed. Therefore it is not possible to determine if the results can be extended to the adult population in general. Nevertheless, the poor showing on naming a famous scientist is an indictment of the science education of those who participated in the survey.

I’m interested in how the readers of virology blog would respond to the question, ‘Name a scientist’ – it doesn’t have to be a famous scientist, and it should not be a relative, or the author of virology blog. Don’t look up someone in a book or online – I’m interested in who you would think of spontaneously. Post your answer – just one scientist – in the comments section, or send it to virology@virology.ws. I’ll reveal the results here in a few weeks.

In attempting to determine how the L’Oreal survey was conducted, I learned about the L’Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science Program, an effort to celebrate women who have dedicated their careers to scientific research, and to encourage emerging talent to pursue scientific discoveries. It’s a commendable program, and I do hope they impress upon the recipients of these awards the need to educate the public about their work.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. ET says

    2 July 2009 at 12:55 pm

    Who was the astronomer that the “Chandra x ray' observatory is named for?

    Subrhaman Chandrasker or something like that? Seems like he found a way to determine mass of stars.

    Any other Indians? Im coming up short…

  2. ET says

    2 July 2009 at 12:57 pm

    Any Far East that anyone can think of? I know Shigella is named for someone in Japan. Any others?

    China? Anyone?

  3. Aeromax says

    2 July 2009 at 12:59 pm

    Linus Pauling.

  4. lyric says

    2 July 2009 at 1:09 pm

    Stephen Hawking

  5. Jack W. says

    2 July 2009 at 1:10 pm

    Stephen Hawking.

  6. steve says

    2 July 2009 at 1:15 pm

    Nikola Tesla

  7. Alex says

    2 July 2009 at 1:37 pm

    Richard Feyman

  8. Sean says

    2 July 2009 at 2:07 pm

    Benjamin Banneker?
    The first one I came up with actually was Gregor Mendel. Damn you freshman biology!

  9. zzing says

    2 July 2009 at 2:11 pm

    Paul Dirac

  10. Orlando says

    2 July 2009 at 2:31 pm

    Here's a list of some with stupid nicknames I've given them, just for some variety. Some of the nicknames pretty much only make sense to me.

    Neils “Nelly” Bohr, Richard “Slickback” Feynman, Erwin “Kitty” Schroedinger, Nikola “I'll Show You All!!!!” Tesla, Thomas “Thanks Nikola” Edison, Guglielmo “Radiohead” Marconi, Jonas “Crazylegs” Salk, Albert “The MC” Einstein, Nicolaus “Universal Soldier” Copernicus, Carl Sagan, Isaac “The Force” Newton, Charles “Chuck” Darwin, and of course, Stephen “Wheels” Hawking.

  11. f says

    2 July 2009 at 2:35 pm

    nikolai tesla

  12. Jason says

    2 July 2009 at 2:39 pm

    Doc Octopus

  13. thenonimous says

    2 July 2009 at 2:56 pm

    Isaac Newton

  14. max says

    2 July 2009 at 3:08 pm

    stephen hawking came to mind first

  15. Michael says

    2 July 2009 at 3:11 pm

    Why no love for Tesla?

  16. Michael says

    2 July 2009 at 3:11 pm

    Why no love for Tesla?

  17. Michael says

    2 July 2009 at 3:12 pm

    *Nikola

  18. DT says

    2 July 2009 at 3:28 pm

    Michio Kaku, Richard Feynman, Nikola Tesla, and Buckminster Fuller popped into my head simultaneously, so I'd say they all qualify as the “first.”

  19. DT says

    2 July 2009 at 3:29 pm

    You messed up one; it should be Guglielmo “Radiohead-Thanks Nikola” Marconi.

  20. James L says

    2 July 2009 at 3:37 pm

    Richard Feynman. Physics, yay!

  21. Guest says

    2 July 2009 at 3:38 pm

    Richard Feynman

  22. James L says

    2 July 2009 at 3:50 pm

    That's scientists, not scientologists. 🙂 Beware of volcanic eruptions Xenu.

  23. gonzalo Urrutia says

    2 July 2009 at 4:00 pm

    i thought of tesla
    fits the crazy scientist type

  24. AndyB62 says

    2 July 2009 at 4:43 pm

    I love his constant!

  25. AndyB62 says

    2 July 2009 at 4:53 pm

    Dian Fossey

  26. AndyB62 says

    2 July 2009 at 4:55 pm

    Dr. Emmett Brown

  27. schadenfreudian says

    2 July 2009 at 5:04 pm

    Nikola Tesla. (Edison can suck it)

  28. ET says

    2 July 2009 at 5:32 pm

    ??

  29. tom says

    2 July 2009 at 5:40 pm

    J. Robert Oppenheimer

  30. Thomas Overton says

    2 July 2009 at 7:04 pm

    hershey and chase…name that phage

  31. Nubisor says

    2 July 2009 at 7:42 pm

    Copernicus!

  32. Dan says

    2 July 2009 at 8:02 pm

    Gregor Mendel was the first name in my head

  33. Knapalm says

    2 July 2009 at 9:20 pm

    Sir Isaac Newton

  34. Joe Bloggs says

    2 July 2009 at 10:22 pm

    Linus Pauling

  35. Dee says

    2 July 2009 at 10:36 pm

    George Washington Carver

  36. Dan says

    2 July 2009 at 10:59 pm

    I came up with 3 off the cuff
    Einstein
    Tesla
    Fermi

  37. Moneil says

    2 July 2009 at 11:18 pm

    Amy Mainzer

  38. Sapik says

    3 July 2009 at 1:40 am

    Josiah Willard Gibbs

  39. ijostl says

    3 July 2009 at 1:53 am

    Nina Hartley.

    …wait, she's a slut, wait no a scientist, wait…

    …you know, those two professions seem to have some commonalities…

  40. Scott says

    3 July 2009 at 6:50 am

    Dr. Percy Julian is the one i thought of that i haven't seen listed. PBS had a wonderful show about his life and his work a few months back.
    Ask if the average american can name a sports star or celebrity. . . our priorities in this country are skewed at best.

  41. M says

    3 July 2009 at 7:11 am

    Rachel Carson, Richard Feynman, Rosalind Franklin

  42. dave says

    3 July 2009 at 11:25 am

    Vincent Racaniello

  43. David Loria says

    3 July 2009 at 12:08 pm

    Clodomiro Picado Twight, a Costa Rican scientist. He was pioneer in the researching snakes and serpent venoms; his internationally recognized achievement was the development of various anti-venom serums. He was one of the precursors of the discovery of penicillin, which he used to treat patients a couple of years before the formal discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming.[1] He wrote over 115 works, mainly books and monographs.

  44. Melkarion says

    3 July 2009 at 12:22 pm

    Nikola Tesla. The classic mad scientist.

  45. Kate says

    3 July 2009 at 12:25 pm

    Linus Pauling

  46. C Day says

    3 July 2009 at 12:26 pm

    Barbara McClintock.

  47. Janice Numtwabe says

    3 July 2009 at 4:23 pm

    Stephen Hawking

  48. Janice Numtwabe says

    3 July 2009 at 4:23 pm

    Or Einstein

    – Janice,
    Stroller Travel System

  49. Wilijon says

    3 July 2009 at 6:58 pm

    Isn't 23% about the same percentage that thought G W hung the moon?

  50. dottholliday says

    3 July 2009 at 8:45 pm

    Enrico Fermi
    Richard Feyman

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