There appears to be a huge disconnect between the public and scientists, as evidenced through a Pew Research Center report that came out last week.
Science writer Chris Mooney, the author of Republican War on Science and Stormworld has a new book, titled, Unscientific America, showing just how un-science-focused most Americans are.
While the Pew report and Mooney both paint a gloomy picture of science in the U.S. there is still hope for a science rich future.
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I haven’t been impressed with what I’ve read about Mooney’s latest book, especially the implication that this problem of getting the general public interested in science is somehow new, or at least getting worse. Read Jerry Coyne’s review at his Why Evolution is True blog (http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2009/07/14/unscientific-unscientific-america-part-1/) for one of the best critiques of Unscientific America.