Report: Decline in Bigfoot, alien and horoscope belief

Two decades ago, Americans were much inclined to believe in alien abductions, horoscopes and Bigfoot. Now, they still dream wistfully of being sucked in by a flying saucer or having a quick conversation with the Sasquatch himself, but not too much – really.

Researchers say that this progress in the American way of scientific thinking could be largely credited to the requirement that all college students attend at least a few science classes. Jon D. Miller, a Michigan State University Professor said that in 1988, only about 10 percent of people in the US knew enough about science to understand reports in major newspapers. In 2005, the figure grew to 28 percent. He presented these findings at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, but we weren’t told if somebody actually questioned the professor himself about his belief on whether or not we are alone in the universe…

Carol Susan Losh, an associate professor at Florida State University, however, thinks that the decline in belief on horoscopes and lucky numbers is actually bad. She believes that astrology could explain the meaning of life in a way that science could not. For most women, Losh said, having a good life depends on whom they marry, and astrology speaks to love relationships.

This was probably one of the reasons why Professor Miller named “female” as a leading negative factor in science literacy. Women tended to believe in horoscopes a lot. They also tended  to take fewer college courses.

The second negative factor to science literacy, according to Miller, was religious fundamentalism and aging. This finding speaks of the fact that there has been a drop of people who believe on evolutionism and an increase of people who believe that mankind was created 10,000 years ago.

Miller said that the best way to become scientifically educated is to take science courses in college, inform yourself through the media, and have kids at home. Is it because kids are more scientifically educated, or that they never really grew up on Bigfoot news and Star Trek?

Via Yahoo

Two decades ago, Americans were much inclined to believe in alien abductions, horoscopes and Bigfoot. Now, they still dream wistfully of being sucked in by a flying saucer or having a quick conversation with the Sasquatch himself, but not too much – really.

Researchers say that this progress in the American way of scientific thinking could be largely credited to the requirement that all college students attend at least a few science classes. Jon D. Miller, a Michigan State University Professor said that in 1988, only about 10 percent of people in the US knew enough about science to understand reports in major newspapers. In 2005, the figure grew to 28 percent. He presented these findings at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, but we weren’t told if somebody actually questioned the professor himself about his belief on whether or not we are alone in the universe…

Carol Susan Losh, an associate professor at Florida State University, however, thinks that the decline in belief on horoscopes and lucky numbers is actually bad. She believes that astrology could explain the meaning of life in a way that science could not. For most women, Losh said, having a good life depends on whom they marry, and astrology speaks to love relationships.

This was probably one of the reasons why Professor Miller named “female” as a leading negative factor in science literacy. Women tended to believe in horoscopes a lot. They also tended  to take fewer college courses.

The second negative factor to science literacy, according to Miller, was religious fundamentalism and aging. This finding speaks of the fact that there has been a drop of people who believe on evolutionism and an increase of people who believe that mankind was created 10,000 years ago.

Miller said that the best way to become scientifically educated is to take science courses in college, inform yourself through the media, and have kids at home. Is it because kids are more scientifically educated, or that they never really grew up on Bigfoot news and Star Trek?

Via Yahoo