To think that every person above age 10 at least should know that the moon affects the tides?

[HateSummer]

I was working with someone aged in their early 20's recently who had never heard of this and were really shocked. I was really shocked they didnt know.

Isn't this basic science taught in primary school? Along with the moon cycle and seasons?

They're explaining the tides and the moon right now on BBC4. It's really interesting.

I was coming on this thread to mention about the programme on BBC 4. Turns out we do need the moon, it's really quite important.

Lurking I'm not surprised to hear that story.

It grates that in the UK it seems perfectly acceptable to say "I don't do maths" when these people wouldn't say "I can't read and write"

10:40 and twenty to eleven story has happened to me too.

I only realised fairly recently that we had acquired an extra two continents since I was taught that we there are five in the 1960s. This piece of information obviously hasn't reached the Olympic Committee, given they still display five rings, so I don't feel quite so bad!

I did, however, know that there is a connection between the moon and tides. My knowledge in this area is extremely limited though. I'm afraid I haven't retained all the things I was taught, but fortunately it's easier to find out anything I actually need to know now than it ever has been, so I'm not too worried.

Eyes
What is the 10:40 twenty to 11 story ??

memories of working in the motor trade ...

That's £100, plus VAT
I don't pay VAT !
Sorry, that's £115
Here you are ...

mission - as Troys said at 17:37:57

How odd that people are so defensive about this. When I was growing up, this is something that every child would have known. I'm surprised both at people's ignorance and their apparent pride in their ignorance. I guess thinking that people should know stuff makes me a dreadful elitist snob.

Seriously it is just confirming that most people are totally thick. And they come in here and giggle about it.

I think the reason that I find it so surprising is that this is an island nation, rather than some landlocked state in the centre of a continent.

It's certainly useful information if you live on the coast: spring tides are more likely to cause flooding, especially if coinciding with stormy weather.

I guess thinking that people should know stuff makes me a dreadful elitist snob.

I know about the tides and the moon, but don't expect everyone else to know everything I know.
I'd put a bet on the fact that you're not the font of all knowledge in absolutely everything and have gaps in your knowledge somewhere too.
I bet there's something you don't know that I do for example and I wouldn't be all "you what? How can you not know that?!"

I think the reason that I find it so surprising is that this is an island nation, rather than some landlocked state in the centre of a continent.
It's certainly useful information if you live on the coast: spring tides are more likely to cause flooding, especially if coinciding with stormy weather.

But you do now that the vast majority of us (even in the UK, and MN is an international site) don't live on the coast, and changes in tide don't really have an impact upon our daily living?
In my life, for example, it would benefit me to know the character names in all the latest children's TV progs and films than it would to know much detail about tides. There is a finite capacity in my memory, so I guess we hang on to whatever comes in handy for the lives we live.
It is pretty ignorant to decree that what is important knowledge for one person, is needed by everyone. Of course it isn't.

Hey, I'm over 300 ft above sea level. I didn't say it would directly impact me. But we are a nation built on the sea.

I actually didn't know this until I was an adult. I was so shocked when I found out.

On my first week of uni as a mature student, one fresh from school student thought the sun was a planet, another had never heard of the holocaust, and another didn't know who the current prime minister was.

Bobson has named the elephant in the room. A lot of people are a bit thick. And some people are proud of being thick,

It would be like me starting a thread in which I was shocked to learn that everyone over the age of 10 had not read A Christmas Carol or Oliver Twist.

I would imagine only a tiny, tiny minority of 10 year olds have read these books, at least the original Dickens... Many, of course, will know the story from various adaptations and films/cartoons/musicals.

Actually, I haven t read them in their original form either!

But you do now that the vast majority of us (even in the UK, and MN is an international site) don't live on the coast

The Thames is tidal as far inland as Teddington. Centres of population are built on rivers because they need water so will similarly sometimes see some impact from high tides. You don't need to be right on the coast for the tides to affect you, or somebody you know.

I'm not surprised that people don't know exactly how the moon affects us and I don't think saying so is a celebration of ignorance. As I said upthread, very informed and intelligent people have curious blindspots.

I don't doubt that as a culture we do celebrate ignorance, I just don't see much of that on this thread.

I have been shocked that so many people believe that the sun revolves round the earth.

"It rises in the east and sets in the west and when it goes out of sight we have night until it circles round to rise again in the east".
Try asking a few random people and see if you get a similar mad explanation. Makes me despair.😱

I will grant people the idea that the moon's effect on tides is not something one necessarily needs to know.

I just don't know how it's a fact that is missed (or more likely, forgotten) in the building of knowledge of how our planet moves, how the solar system moves, etc. It's part of a much larger concept.

Of course the moon isn't the most important player in tides, that would be the sun....

I would be surprised if people didn't have some vague awareness that the tides were caused by the moon. My four-year-old knows this. Wouldn't they wonder why we do have tides?

Fucking Hell so because I didn't know about the moon and the tides that makes me thick?

It's ok @flybye you can sit on the D bench with me whilst we listen to those superior knowledgeable wise ones to enable us to manage day to day life

I would be surprised if people didn't have some vague awareness that the tides were caused by the moon. My four-year-old knows this

Right, and that would be because you've sat him down and told him about the moon affecting the tide as that's definitely not taught at nursery school. They haven't even started school at that age.
So not exactly a typical 4 year old's natural knowledge.

I have a sister in law who remarked when the clocks changed to BST that we would be getting more money for the electricity generated by our solar panels (both households had them installed a few months before). I asked how she worked that out and she replied. "Well we will be getting an extra hour of daylight".