--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's true that the level of scientific…" description: "\"It's true that the level of scientific knowledge among adults is very low, but that's not because there isn't a natural interest. I think most kids are..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/stephen-jay-gould-885_earth_it-s-true-that-the-level-of-scientific-k_2010281.png" --- # It's true that the level of scientific knowledge among… ![“It's true that the level of scientific knowledge among adults is very low, but that's not because there isn't a natural interest. I think most kids are fascinated by the natural world. I've often said that if you could quantify the mental power involved in all the dinosaur names correctly known…” quote by Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/stephen-jay-gould-885_earth_it-s-true-that-the-level-of-scientific-k_2010281.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/stephen-jay-gould-885_earth_it-s-true-that-the-level-of-scientific-k_2010281.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/stephen-jay-gould-885_earth_it-s-true-that-the-level-of-scientific-k_2010281.png) > “It's true that the level of scientific knowledge among adults is very low, but that's not because there isn't a natural interest. I think most kids are fascinated by the natural world. I've often said that if you could quantify the mental power involved in all the dinosaur names correctly known and correctly spelled by 5-year-old kids in America, you could move any mountain on earth.” [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adults often lack scientific knowledge despite innate curiosity, while children naturally marvel at nature and can recall many facts. **In simple terms:** Kids love nature and remember facts; adults often don’t. Key Takeaway Encourage curiosity in all ages. Themes education curiosity science literacy Mood inquisitive optimistic Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - classroom teaching - parental guidance - museum programs - science outreach Key Concepts Cognitive development knowledge acquisition Questions to Reflect On - How can we tap into children's natural wonder to boost adult learning? - What barriers prevent adults from engaging with science? A Different Perspective Adults may resist learning due to perceived difficulty or lack of relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Involved Dinosaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved-dinosaur-3586287/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Kids Fascinated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids-fascinated-2182839/) [Mental power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-power/) [Mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountain/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-think-468657/) [Natural world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-world/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientific knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-knowledge/) [Think Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-kids/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [You see young people, or kids, and they're fascinated by the way people talk. And that's great. But eventually you get to the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-morris/you-see-young-people-or-kids-and-they-re-fascinated-by-the-way-people/) [Chris Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-morris/) > [I think, as kids, everyone is fascinated with dinosaurs. I definitely was. It is the ultimate big, huge, monster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tee/i-think-as-kids-everyone-is-fascinated-with-dinosaurs-i-definitely/) [Brian Tee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tee/) > [I think I do have my own technique. I don't like to depend on teachers. So I'm walking on my own way, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klaus-nomi/i-think-i-do-have-my-own-technique-i-don-t-like-to-depend-on-teachers/) [Klaus Nomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klaus-nomi/) > [“It's natural to think that living things must be the handiwork of a designer. But it was also natural to think that the sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things-must-be-the-handiwork-of-a-2/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“If we were created from the very fiber of our birth parents' physical and emotional beings, don't you think our need to think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrie-eldridge/if-we-were-created-from-the-very-fiber-of-our-birth-parents-physical/) [Sherrie Eldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrie-eldridge/) > [It's natural to think that living things must be the handiwork of a designer. But it was also natural to think that the sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things-must-be-the-handiwork-of-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I feel like people can feel when something is natural. I think they can tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pusha-t/i-feel-like-people-can-feel-when-something-is-natural-i-think-they/) [Pusha T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pusha-t/) > [I think my strength is always been in being very natural. I think Shakespeare and things like that would be more a stretch for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-gilford/i-think-my-strength-is-always-been-in-being-very-natural-i-think/) [Zach Gilford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-gilford/) > [Being a professional philosopher is, I would say, feeling natural to think about small and great problems. It is the only pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/being-a-professional-philosopher-is-i-would-say-feeling-natural-to/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [The chief distinction in the intellectual powers of the two sexes is shown by mans attaining to a higher eminence, in whatever he takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-chief-distinction-in-the-intellectual-powers-of-the-two-sexes-is/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [Memory is the primary and fundamental power, without which there could be no other intellectual operation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/memory-is-the-primary-and-fundamental-power-without-which-there-could/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [We believe that the people are the source of all governmental power; that the authority of the people is to be extended, not restricted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-jordan/we-believe-that-the-people-are-the-source-of-all-governmental-power/) [Barbara Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-jordan/) > [“Knowledge cannot be passed, like some material substance, from one person to another. Thoughts are not things which may be held and handled. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-gregory/knowledge-cannot-be-passed-like-some-material-substance-from-one/) [John M Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-gregory/) > [Nothing was ever in any man that is not in you; no man ever had more spiritual or mental power than you can attain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/nothing-was-ever-in-any-man-that-is-not-in-you-no-man-ever-had-more/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [A social group can, indeed must, already exercise 'leadership' before winning governmental power (this is indeed one of the principal conditions for the winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-gramsci/a-social-group-can-indeed-must-already-exercise-leadership-before/) [Antonio Gramsci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-gramsci/) ## More by Stephen Jay Gould > [I strongly reject any conceptual scheme that places our options on a line, and holds that the only alternative to a pair of extreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-strongly-reject-any-conceptual-scheme-that-places-our-options-on-a/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [History employs evolution to structure biological events in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/history-employs-evolution-to-structure-biological-events-in-time/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [In his anti-Darwinian book... (and eponymously named The Neck of the Giraffe ), Francis Hitching tells the story... "The need to survive by reaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/in-his-anti-darwinian-book-and-eponymously-named-the-neck-of-the/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [... many folks take them seriously because they just 'know' that evolution can never be seen in the immediate here and now. In fact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/many-folks-take-them-seriously-because-they-just-know-that-evolution/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Charles Darwin viewed the fossil record more as an embarrassment than as an aid to his theory ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/charles-darwin-viewed-the-fossil-record-more-as-an-embarrassment-than/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Zoocentrism is the primary fallacy of human sociobiology, for this view of human behavior rests on the argument that if the actions of "lower"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/zoocentrism-is-the-primary-fallacy-of-human-sociobiology-for-this/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The world, unfortunately, rarely matches our hopes and consistently refuses to behave in a reasonable manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-world-unfortunately-rarely-matches-our-hopes-and-consistently/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The true beauty of nature is her amplitude; she exists neither for nor because of us, and possesses a staying power that all our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-true-beauty-of-nature-is-her-amplitude-she-exists-neither-for-nor/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [With copious evidence ranging from Plato's haughtiness to Beethoven's tirades, we may conclude that the most brilliant people of history tend to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/with-copious-evidence-ranging-from-plato-s-haughtiness-to-beethoven-s/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [When scientists need to explain difficult points of theory, illustration by hypothetical example - rather than by total abstraction - works well (perhaps indispensably)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/when-scientists-need-to-explain-difficult-points-of-theory/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The truly awesome intellectuals in our history have not merely made discoveries; they have woven variegated, but firm, tapestries of comprehensive coverage. The tapestries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-truly-awesome-intellectuals-in-our-history-have-not-merely-made/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I believe that we can still have a genre of scientific books suitable for and accessible alike to professionals and interested laypeople. The concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-believe-that-we-can-still-have-a-genre-of-scientific-books-suitable/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Science simply cannot adjudicate the issue of God's possible superintendence of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/science-simply-cannot-adjudicate-the-issue-of-god-s-possible/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [But if we laugh with derision, we will never understand. Human intellectual capacity has not altered for thousands of years so far as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/but-if-we-laugh-with-derision-we-will-never-understand-human/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [We debase the richness of both nature and our own minds if we view the great pageant of our intellectual history as a compendium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/we-debase-the-richness-of-both-nature-and-our-own-minds-if-we-view/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) [Explore all 341 Stephen Jay Gould quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) ## More Earth quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Then all this earth shines like one house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/then-all-this-earth-shines-like-one-house/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [This, at last, was where things were as they ought to be. Everything was in its place -- the tree, the earth underneath, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-liedloff/this-at-last-was-where-things-were-as-they-ought-to-be-everything-was/) [Jean Liedloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-liedloff/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [What did you do to save the world today?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie/what-did-you-do-to-save-the-world-today/) [Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie/) [Browse all 15,455 Earth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's true that the level of scientific knowledge among adults is very low, but that's not because there isn't a natural interest. I think most kids are fascinated by the natural world. I've often said that if you could quantify the mental power involved in all the dinosaur names correctly known and correctly spelled by 5-year-old kids in America, you could move any mountain on earth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Jay Gould" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/it-s-true-that-the-level-of-scientific-knowledge-among-adults-is-very/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Earth" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/it-s-true-that-the-level-of-scientific-knowledge-among-adults-is-very/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/stephen-jay-gould-885_earth_it-s-true-that-the-level-of-scientific-k_2010281.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/stephen-jay-gould-885_earth_it-s-true-that-the-level-of-scientific-k_2010281.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f70/stephen-jay-gould-885_earth_it-s-true-that-the-level-of-scientific-k_2010281.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's true that the level of scientific knowledge among adults is very low, but that's not because there…” — Stephen Jay Gould", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Stephen Jay Gould", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's true that the level of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/it-s-true-that-the-level-of-scientific-knowledge-among-adults-is-very/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/it-s-true-that-the-level-of-scientific-knowledge-among-adults-is-very/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```