Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21546807b&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #468.07; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.511
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
The Internet has grown as a research reference of first choice among students and interested amateurs. However, the Internet, once the domain of professional scientific and technical researchers, has become the distribution mechanism of choice for a variety pseudo-sciences propagated by individuals and groups with various economic, political and religious agendas. Through search engines, those seeking scientific information can find themselves directed towards pseudo-science as easily as real science with no indication of the quality of the information. While this can create a problem in teaching science, it also creates an opportunity to teach how science works.
I present a few claims that have been espoused by groups such as young-Earth creationists and supporters of the "Electric Universe" (a variation on Velikovsky's claims). I illustrate some simple analyses of why these claims don't work that could be accessible at levels ranging from self-study to introductory physics or astronomy classes. These analyses provide examples of how science rules out various claims, as well as illustrating simple physical principles.
Bridgman William T.
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