AFAIK, very few scientists anywhere in the world (except USA) use “traditional” measurements, so I was also surprised that non-SI units would be used in a LessWrong survey.
My experience is that most scientists (in the US) use SI units in the lab, and the imperial units everywhere else. Water boils at 100 degrees, and it’s 98 degrees outside.
My experience is that most scientists use SI units in the lab, and the imperial units everywhere else. Water boils at 100 degrees, and it’s 98 degrees outside.
This reads as if it is intended to be a contradiction of the grandparent. This is odd because it actually strengthens the grandparent’s claim. US scientists were already outright excluded from the claim so your additional testimony just enhances (!USA) to (!USA || USA && LAB). Pardon me if I misread the intended message (the other interpretation is that the comment is a misleading non-sequitur.)
Following the ‘sharing anecdotal impression’ line my experience is that scientists use SI units in the lab as well as elsewhere. Exceptions, with respect to “feet” in particular are for approximations of (human) height or when talking to people over 50 years old. Fahrenheit is never used but can be parsed and translated from foreign sources in much the same way that Cuneiform can be translated if absolutely necessary.
I had missed that, too. (On the other hand, while I—a non-US scientist—do measure my own weight in kilos, kilos are arguably the traditional unit of body weight measurement in my country. And I do sometimes use pints for draught beer.)
My experience is that most scientists (in the US) use SI units in the lab, and the imperial units everywhere else. Water boils at 100 degrees, and it’s 98 degrees outside.
This reads as if it is intended to be a contradiction of the grandparent. This is odd because it actually strengthens the grandparent’s claim. US scientists were already outright excluded from the claim so your additional testimony just enhances (!USA) to (!USA || USA && LAB). Pardon me if I misread the intended message (the other interpretation is that the comment is a misleading non-sequitur.)
Following the ‘sharing anecdotal impression’ line my experience is that scientists use SI units in the lab as well as elsewhere. Exceptions, with respect to “feet” in particular are for approximations of (human) height or when talking to people over 50 years old. Fahrenheit is never used but can be parsed and translated from foreign sources in much the same way that Cuneiform can be translated if absolutely necessary.
I was adding anecdotal evidence about US scientists, which I somehow missed were excluded from the claim. Thanks for pointing out the oddity.
nod. It was easy to miss, I only saw it on second read myself. Before that I had only typed my own Australian anecdotal perspective.
I had missed that, too. (On the other hand, while I—a non-US scientist—do measure my own weight in kilos, kilos are arguably the traditional unit of body weight measurement in my country. And I do sometimes use pints for draught beer.)