FF Poll: Scientific Polling

Q1. A 2025 study from the Leibniz Institute on Aging found that people don't age steadily, but rather in rapid bursts with acceleration in muscle wastage, skin decline, and immune cell die off happening at three points in a person's life: Around the ages of 34, 60, and 80.

Do you give this finding much credence, and would you prefer aging in bursts or steadily?

(Image: Dick Clark age 47. Getty // Everett )

overall

custom

male

female

rep

ind

dem

18-29

30-44

45-64

65+

Group A

Findings are likely accurate

56%

57%

56%

54%

55%

60%

71%

56%

51%

59%

56%

Unlikely

15%

14%

20%

14%

10%

19%

10%

14%

18%

15%

Not sure

27%

24%

28%

22%

32%

28%

10%

34%

31%

21%

27%

Group B

Would prefer to age in bursts

6%

5%

7%

9%

3%

10%

1%

4%

10%

6%

Steadily

64%

63%

66%

59%

56%

70%

51%

56%

71%

64%

Not sure

26%

25%

27%

26%

30%

25%

30%

42%

19%

15%

26%

Don't care

6%

9%

3%

11%

6%

1%

9%

5%

6%

4%

6%

Q2. A 2024 French study found that obesity in government officials was correlated with corruption across eastern and central European countries, including Russia.

A 2024 study in the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization found that after a Chinese crackdown on political corruption, average body mass index (BMI) among public sector employees declined.

Which word do you think best describes these findings, which some say indicate a relationship between BMI and corruption in government officials?

• False - I don't believe any relation between BMI and corruption
• Specious - old politician is more likely to be corrupt, and old person is more likely higher BMI, so it's age, not BMI that is predictor of corruption
• Accurate - illegal gifts often come with lavish food/drink, which will show up in BMI

(Image: Vladimir Putin exhibiting transparency in government, Aug 2009. Getty // Alexei Druzhinin )

overall

custom

male

female

rep

ind

dem

18-29

30-44

45-64

65+

False

14%

13%

15%

17%

11%

12%

8%

6%

18%

22%

14%

Specious

31%

41%

23%

32%

36%

30%

28%

48%

24%

25%

31%

Accurate

32%

34%

28%

33%

26%

31%

44%

27%

28%

32%

None of these describes them

10%

4%

16%

10%

13%

10%

7%

14%

8%

10%

Don't know

11%

5%

16%

6%

11%

15%

9%

12%

11%

10%

11%

Don't care

2%

3%

2%

3%

2%

0%

4%

3%

2%

Q3. A 2024 study in the Journal of Comparative Psychology documented 34 cases since 2004 of killer whales (orcas) approaching humans on boats or in the water, and presenting them with prey including whale, seal, jellyfish, stingray, otter, birds and a turtle. The orcas lingered thereafter, and at times re-presented the food if discarded or ignored.

Researchers are uncertain as to why orcas are doing this. Some think it's curiosity or a form of play, others think it's a gift, yet others believe it's a lure to make the humans prey. There is no record of orcas attacking humans in the wild, though four human deaths have been attributed to interactions with captive orcas.

What do you think best explains these orca actions?

(Image: Orca releases dead seabird in front of scuba diver, Alert Bay, CA, 2015 via Bay Cetology )

overall

custom

male

female

rep

ind

dem

18-29

30-44

45-64

65+

Curiosity

31%

32%

36%

32%

27%

14%

37%

35%

31%

Play

14%

16%

13%

12%

14%

16%

8%

13%

23%

14%

Gift

28%

22%

31%

23%

30%

31%

30%

22%

33%

25%

28%

Lure

7%

3%

10%

3%

4%

11%

16%

4%

6%

5%

7%

Other

2%

3%

2%

0%

2%

5%

6%

3%

1%

2%

Don't know

15%

18%

12%

19%

15%

10%

16%

18%

13%

15%

Don't care

3%

7%

0%

6%

3%

0%

10%

4%

2%

3%