The Oil Drum | DrumBeat: July 10, 2009

211 comments on DrumBeat: July 10, 2009

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Darwinian on July 10, 2009 - 10:29am

Well I got all 12 right even though I am over 65, have only a high school education, (plus a few years of technical schools), was born in a sharecroppers shack and grew up on a rural Alabama cotton farm.

I think there is something more at play here rather than only demographics. The question most got right was the one about what prevents heart attacks. The question most missed was a true false, "Electrons are smaller than atoms". The results correct replies were less than 50%. Less than pure chance.

If you just watched TV all day you would soon gather that aspirin helps prevent heart attacks. The word "atom" is often used as a metaphor for something very tiny but the word "electron" is seldom, if ever, used in that regard.

It is the TV culture that is to blame...or perhaps something more sublime.

Ron P.

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Navigator on July 10, 2009 - 11:06am

I'm 62 and I got all of them right. I put down "some college" but I also have a lifelong technical career behind me. Still, I think I could have gotten all 12 right when I was in high school. I sent it to my adult kids who all have one or more degrees from major universities. It will be interesting to see how they do. None of their degrees are science related.

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RalphW on July 10, 2009 - 12:08pm

When you were in high school three of the questions could not have existed. :)

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bmcnett on July 10, 2009 - 2:01pm

I got all 12 right too, but my score was 11 because one of the questions was wrong.

Antibacterials kill bacteria.
Antivirals kill virii.
Antibiotics may kill bacteria AND virii.

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darwinsdog on July 10, 2009 - 2:30pm

The plural of virus is viruses, not "virii." And how can anything "kill" a macromolecular complex if it isn't even alive?

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bmcnett on July 10, 2009 - 2:47pm

The word "kill" is often used figuratively (e.g. "bill killed in Senate") but yes! "virii" is not proper Latin. The Internet thanks you for picking on it.

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Han on July 10, 2009 - 5:48pm

The word "kill" is often used figuratively (e.g. "bill killed in Senate")

Maybe antibiotics will kill bills also.
The point is that antibiotic means: against life (micro-organisms) and a virus doesn't live.

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bmcnett on July 10, 2009 - 7:37pm

By that logic, biowarfare can't include viruses, either.

Hey, look what patent I found:

BU-4641V, an antibacterial antiviral and antitumor antibiotic.
European Patent Application EP0560149

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old hermit on July 10, 2009 - 4:49pm

Antibiotics may kill bacteria AND virii.

Name and references Please:

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BlueTwilight on July 10, 2009 - 11:34pm

Written by bmcnett:
Antibacterials kill bacteria.
Antibiotics may kill bacteria AND virii.

The true/false question, "Antibiotics will kill viruses as well as bacteria," tests whether you understand the definition of "antibiotics." If you answered "true," you were wrong. By definition antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses. That an antibiotic may kill some viruses does not alter the correct answer.

This American answered all 12 questions correctly.

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Henri 2 on July 11, 2009 - 9:19am

By definition antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses.

Antibiotics are there in two forms: bacteriostatica and bactericide. The bactericide antibiotica kill bacteria, the others prevent their division. Of course, ultimately with the same result.

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joemichaels on July 10, 2009 - 11:11am

E.O Wilson grew up in rural Alabama. He said the backwoods areas of Alabama were in large part responsible for his becoming a naturalist.

You're in good company.

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WNC Observer on July 10, 2009 - 11:32am

If people watched "Nova" every week, they would certainly have gotten all of the questions right.

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airdale on July 10, 2009 - 12:23pm

I'm 70, watched(threw it out 8 yrs ago) no TV for many years, lots of technical training schools but no college except for inhouse core curricula and SoftWare Engineering at my previous employer(IBM).

I was born in a house with a midwife in attendance, never paid attention in grade and high school(skipped a lot). IQ tested at 150(if it matters).I am a Kentucky Red Neck. An electronics technician,field engineer,a staff level programmer,mainframe consultant, blacksmith, banjo picker , farmer and now retired and lay pretty much on my ass and do exactly what I want ,when I want.

I got all 12 correct and they were astoundingly simple questions. The planet question was solved by process of elimination.But I thought I heard it before. Taking tests is an art form, or so I believe. Yet this one required zero artwork

And I spend too much time on TOD.

Airdale

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Daxtatter on July 10, 2009 - 1:42pm

You are officially the man!

Daniel Achstatter

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airdale on July 10, 2009 - 8:37pm

Nah,,,I believe every TODer who has a serious bone in his body should and likely will get all 12 right.

Airdale-the banjo picking I cherish,the rest was just killing time

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211 comments on DrumBeat: July 10, 2009

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“To be thrown upon one's own resources, is to be cast into the very lap of fortune; for our faculties then undergo a development and display an energy of which they were previously unsusceptible.”

—Benjamin Franklin