Astronomical Survey -- scientific illiteracy or not

1 In 4 Americans Thinks The Sun Goes Around The Earth, Survey Says

"To the question "Does the Earth go around the Sun, or does the Sun go around the Earth," 26 percent of those surveyed answered incorrectly."

Interesting AAAS study. What this study may show is not what it seems to show. Since I have taught astronomy/physical science/physics, I submit that most know the answer. The numbers of slower thinkers who can't remember the answer probably number less than 1 in 20. Twenty-six percent is way too high. This may call into question this method of surveying (or at least increasing the margin of error). Possibilities may have caused the respondents to...

1. Lie (question may have insulted or pricked respondents to impishness)
2. Get confused by the wording. Both answer-choices have a similar pattern of response, which has a tendency to confuse the mind: "Wait, I knew the answer, but right now I can't tell which is which."
3. Accidentally choose the wrong answer. Sometimes we know the wrong answer and think, "I know it's not B," and we select B.
4. Lose focus on the survey, distracted by TV, life, troubles, or something else.
5. [insert your own possibility here].

One reader pointed out that mathematicians would state that it's your frame of reference that decides what's circling what. This would be an example of impishness.

What Ants Have Taught Me

I live in Honduras where not everything seals well.  That means ants will stumble into house, and if they find anything, they will leave a chemical trail that will bring more ants in.  Some of those will branch off and seek other food sources.  Soon you will have a house infested with ants, assuming you like to eat--a fairly safe assumption unless you happen to be a robot.  If the latter, welcome!

At first this was really cool.  I'd kill an insect and they'd dismantle it down to the wings and antennae by the next morning.  However, when they started crawling on me and inside my cast when I'd broken my arm, I decided I'd had enough.  With 10% bleach solution, I'd follow their trails until I discovered where they were entering and exiting.  After that, just spray the entrances and exits.  It is a job that requires...

• patience,
• observation,
• study
• and research.

Here again is my research on ants.  By the way, I love ants.  Cool insects.  I'm just not interested in housing with them.

NPR Audio story

I played this for students:

Are U.S. Schools Really Falling Behind China?

The idea behind this was to get students to see how current politicians and other countries consider science and math not only important but also vital to their future. Students had plenty to say. Also relevant this past week:

In The Heartland, Obama Calls For Innovation