On University Challenge (Christmas series) the other night there was a question about which species is ‘… said by the RSPB to be the UK’s most intensively persecuted bird, partly because of illegal killing by gamekeepers on grouse moors’.
Neither team got Hen Harrier (even though the scientific name had been given and some other clues) but the wrong answers of Golden Eagle and Peregrine Falcon were actually very good stabs at it and were close to being right.
I just wonder whether DEFRA, Alan Werritty, Julian Glover, Tony Juniper, Theresa Viliers and others who ought to be doing something about this parlous state of affairs would have got the answer right…
I saw that (the UC question) and wondered what you might make of it.
Not quite as memorable as Jonathan Freedland, the Guardian’s anti Semite finder and Corbyn critic in chief, either unable to recognise Shelley’s Mask of Anarchy or not be aware that it was inspired by the Peterloo massacre.
Or Alison Pearson’s performance confirming that she really is as ignorant as her journalistic output suggests.
Even so I was a little surprised that not one of the eight supposedly educated and informed contestants was able to identify the hen harrier from the clues given.
De – I was pleased with their aqnswers being so close to the mark. Would they have been 5 years ago?
That same question was asked last year on Christmas UC (or year before).
Can’t remember the answer but i know they didn’t get it right (they possibly answered Kestrel and Buzzard).
If they didn’t know the answer in English then hearing the binomial probably didn’t get them anywhere.
This reminds me: Jeremy Paxman often seems to me to pismonunciate binomials or anatomical terms. I’m expecting him or the researchers to be correct because they probably have the Latin and I don’t – otherwise I would have become a QC, obviously. Most Mondays I have my confidence undermined in this way although I am not going to change nearly a century of speech crime on my part. However – it would be good to hear an informed opinion.
Filbert – you’re right: elements, species, units. Demonstrating a complete lack of understanding of science is still regarded as a good thing by many who would blush brightly if they didn’t know which Bronte wrote which book (or maybe, how to spell Pinocchio – is that right?(yes it is, but only because I checked)).
Paxman does have a tendency to adopt an expression of pained disappointment when the students fail to answer a question about art or history correctly but shows no similar reaction when a simple science question is answered incorrectly or not at all.
I watched this as well and was pleasantly surprised it was worded that way . As noted two good answers but the HH message yet to get through . Let,s hope Nicola Sturgeon was watching as she has blogged about the United Nations Climate Change Forum is coming to Glasgow in 2020 . Let,s hope we can have some movement from the Scottish Govt. on raptor crime and other wildlife issues .
I saw this o9n the BBC news page:-
“Prince William said the world faces a “stark choice” to continue “irreparably” damaging the planet or “lead, innovate and problem-solve”.”
I wonder if he could persuade his Granny to enter his competition???
Re-wild the royal parks and estates?
Was that Lead or lead I wonder ?
Did you see Lord Birt’s question in the HoL:
“To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to commission an independent review into the economic, environmental and wildlife impacts of driven grouse shooting.”
Lord Gardiner of Kimble The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
“The Government will consider the findings of the recently released Werritty Review which addresses these issues in Scotland. We will continue to work to ensure a sustainable, mutually beneficial relationship between shooting and conservation.”
(https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-12-19.HL13.h&s=speaker%3A13502#gHL13.q0)