How do New Zealand and Finland teach science?

However they do it, they do it well. Graph from Nature.

Despite their small populations, they have a large percentage of top performers in science. Korea has more top performers but, due to it's larger population, a much smaller percentage. I wonder, though, if it works better for Korea as at least some Korean scientists are basically trapped here due to language and cultural isolation.

There is another interesting graph in the article but I can't understand what it is saying -the childish style is cute, but impenetrable. I'm clearly not a 'top-performer'.

Hat Tip (if needed) to Pharyngula.