A recent poll by USA today has shown that 44% of American believe that humans did not evolve, and 66% believe that humans were specially created 10,000 years ago. Yes, I am well aware that these numbers do not add up (more than likely due to the wording of the question itself), but even if we allowed a little leeway with the numbers, it is still disturbing that statistically speaking nearly half of the American populace view evolution as some scientific shame.
I can only think of two causes. One, there is a lack of solid science education in public schools across the nation. Certainly, there are public school's with strong science programs, but their exist others where the science program seems like it's just managing to get by. Second, political and religious pundits with little to no actual authority or credibility in science or science education
have voices louder than science educators. The combination of these has doomed the public at large.
Somehow, though, I doubt 1,007 people are representative of the country. But also, it doesn't surprise me the numbers correspond in this fashion. I do find it interesing that percentage is siilar to the percent in population of evangelical Christians. Now, correlation doesn't always equal causation, but I somehow doubt we can rule religion out in the case of people staying ignorant of the concerns and knowledge in science.
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