UFOs and Lab Monkeys

[Kevin Robert Dean]

Most respect science, don't understand it
Paul Recer - Associated Press
Wednesday, May 1, 2002

<http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/epaper/editions/wednesday/news_c3fc69a136f132c60063.html>

Washington --- Few Americans understand the scientific
process and many believe in mysterious psychic powers
and may be quick to accept phony science reports,
according to a national survey. 

The survey, part of the National Science Foundation's
biennial report on the state of science understanding,
education, research and investment, found belief in
"pseudoscience" common. It found science literacy had
improved only slightly since the last survey and that
70 percent of U.S. adults do not understand the
scientific process. 

America continues to lead the world, the study found,
in scientific investment, research and development,
and technological advances. But it found weakness in
some levels of scientific education and noted that the
United States continues to depend heavily on
foreign-born scientists and now faces increased
competition from steadily improving scientific
enterprises abroad. 

In the survey of American attitudes toward science,
the study found that doctors and scientists were the
most respected professionals, but it also found that
"belief in pseudoscience is relatively widespread and
growing." 

A survey of 1,574 adults found 60 percent agreed or
strongly agreed that some people possess psychic
powers or extrasensory perception, a premise most
scientists regard as unproven. 

Though 57 percent of those surveyed disagreed that
UFOs came to Earth bearing aliens, about 30 percent
believe that some reported objects in the sky are
really space vehicles from other civilizations. 

The scientific validity of astrology --- the belief
that an alignment of the planets can affect events on
Earth --- is rejected by 60 percent of Americans, as
is the idea that some numbers are lucky while others
are not. But 43 percent say they read the astrology
charts at least occasionally in the newspaper. 

Americans were almost evenly divided about genetic
engineering --- modifying life forms by manipulating
genes. Forty percent thought the technique would
produce more good than bad effects, but 33 percent
anticipated more harm than benefit. 

About 48 percent of those surveyed said they were
moderately or strongly opposed to cloning farm
animals, even if it was used to make drugs to treat
humans. The new science was supported by 47 percent,
making opinion almost evenly divided. 

Most Americans, about 59 percent, were comfortable
with using mice in laboratory experiments, but
opinions shifted dramatically when the question was
using dogs or chimpanzees in the scientific research
instead of mice. About 53 percent of those surveyed
disagreed with allowing scientists to experiment with
dogs or chimps in medical research. 


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Kevin Dean
Buffalo, NY
ICQ: 8616001
AIM: KDean75206
Buffalo Activist Network
http://www.buffaloactivist.net
http://www.yaysoft.com

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