Open Letter to the President: Physics Education

Link to Brady's SixtySymbols video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzn2ec...

MinutePhysics is on Google+ - http://bit.ly/qzEwc6
And facebook - http://facebook.com/minutephysics
And twitter - @minutephysics

Minute Physics provides an energetic and entertaining view of old and new problems in physics -- all in a minute!

Music by Nathaniel Schroeder http://www.soundcloud.com/drschroeder

Thanks to Nima Doroud, Brady Haran, Destinws2, Derek Muller, CGPGrey, Justin Son, Dan Owens, Dan Welty, Fran Poodry, Ryan Mitchell, Robert Emrich, Chris Conley, Liz Henriquez, Matt Smith, Shane MacLeod, James Goodwin, and Matt Hewes for contributions and to Perimeter Institute for support.
http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca

• Category

  Science & Technology

[coopmuch56]

going to the government for education is like going to rosie odonnal for a diet plan

[ashley smith]

we do study most of those things I Scottish secondary schools (at least the ones that 15 year old are able to comprehend enough to take exams on them)

[shadow81818]

Well I'm learning about a lot of this... I guess Minnesota is just awesome like that!

[Chris Drake]

I think your heart is in the right place, but please consider that 1) the federal government sucks at almost everything, and 2) modern physics is *way* less likely to be economically practical for your average person than trade skills such as welding or accounting. Your effort is better spent trying to convince private parties to offer advanced courses to interested and motivated parties.

[Dashie Dasher]

So... let me get this straight. You want the government to make bored and inattentive teens classe harder, thus making their grades worse, lowering the chances for said teen to attend college and later get a job that will support them and a family? Your plan sounds good at first, but just because it will help some students dosent mean that they will accept harder classes.

[bobgushmore]

I really like the idea but the topics that were stated aren't required NATIONALLY, a lot of states actually require a good bunch of the topics listed. For example, in Illinois, I've been over atomic structure and the Big Bang. If I'm not mistaken they are both required by the state. Expanding physics is still a phenomenal goal to achieve and I'm all for it, just figured I'd point out that some American schools do teach these topics.

[MrMadr0]

We had to learn most of the theory's in senior Physics in Australia. So Buck up USA

[TheSamercam]

That's what I thought you meant. Sorry. It seemed like you meant there wouldn't be people to fight the wars.

And I'm sure the generals and president and whoever else is involved in military decisions discuss tactics and whether or not to attack.

If it's a bad idea/doesn't make sense to the general then they must obey the final command anyway. That's life. So yea, you can ask questions, but you still gotta do it!

[mahe4]

i didn't say, that there would be less soldiers, but i asked, who would fight their wars.

a general who questions stupid orders, wouldn't attack something without reason.

but, this is how the military works. don't ask questions and obey orders.

[TheSamercam]

Intelligence is very one dimensional. Though there are different one dimensional lines each person is on.

You can be smart/intelligent with military strategy but lack the same ability in the analysis of writing.

But regardless, i will not continue this argument further for fear of starting one of the YouTube religion debates. The bottom line is even with better physics education the US would still have plenty of soldiers.

Plus the US has drones and bomberst so soldiers are not as necessary.

[JenChenshuffler]

I'm in 10th grade in Australia, and I've already learnt about a lot of the things that students in the US supposedly do not learn, such as the Big Bang theory, formation of stars, etc. I agree Henry, the US really needs to improve its education system.

[mahe4]

intelligence isn't just a one-dimensional line where you can be smart on the one side and stupid on the other side.

no. you can know a lot og things, and can be very fast in finding solutions, but, for example in science, this istn't the most important thing. in science you learn to ask about the "why" and that is what most soldiers lack. (not all of course)