# What’s worse - the dentist or math?

By Murray Bourne, 10 Feb 2006

The Americans continue to worry about the state of their nation - especially what it means for the future with China and India experiencing rapid growth. Some gems from a USA Today article:

• a Raytheon Corporation survey of 1,000 11-to-13-year-olds released last month found that 84% said they would "rather clean their room, eat their vegetables, go to the dentist or take out the garbage than learn math or science."
• China graduated 500,000 engineers; India, 200,000; and North America, 70,000.
• Many kids are taught by teachers lacking a background in science or math, Augustine says. For example, among eighth-graders in a 1999 survey, 59% had math teachers who didn't specialize in the subject. The international average was 29%.

But we all know where the brains have come from:

Today in physics, engineering, mathematics and computer science, more than half of U.S. Ph.D. degrees are awarded to non-U.S. citizens, says the National Science Foundation.

The end of US domination is in sight...?

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