Eclipses




Every year when Gallup releases this poll, I get the exact same drop in my stomach, remembering again that I live in a nation where 4 out of 10 people think Earth is less than 10,000 years old. How do we make informed choices as a democracy when such a large percentage of the population is unwilling or unable to accept the most basic scientific knowledge?

I love seeing all the excitement over the recent eclipse, my Facebook feed is proof that people are excited about nature. And that's what this is about- nature. Sometimes I dislike the word science, so weighed down by white coats and high school chemistry labs. I believe the desire to learn about nature is universal, am I wrong? How do we convince ourselves, as a species, that understanding the world we live in is not only vital, but beautiful and interesting, like seeing an eclipse?

No comments: