Superstitions, Aliens, and Conspiracies: Tales from the Frontlines of Astronomy Outreach - Livestream

Interest in astronomy and space is virtually universal. Knowledge is not. For me and legions of outreach astronomers I work with around the world, astronomy is the gateway to STEM education, accessible to all. But unlike other sciences, people rarely know the basics, like what a star or planet is, so astronomy outreach has to start with the ABCs. For some, aliens, conspiracies, and dogma have filled the knowledge gap before we encounter them. Many stories I hear are just shockingly poor interpretations of personal observations; lights in the sky are usually evidence of alien spacecraft (what is the opposite of Occam’s Razor?). Real science gets distorted, and ancient superstitions dominate in some cultures, like the harm a partially eclipsed Sun’s rays can do. For those lamenting the lack of scientific knowledge and critical thinking these days, welcome to my Universe.

Speaker: Mike Simmons, UC Los Angeles School of Medicine, retired

See weblink for link to the talk