On the latest episode, episode #292 of The Skeptics’ Guide the Universe —my favorite podcast by the way— one of their “Science or Fiction” items was that adult Americans with basic science literacy has increased from 10% to 28% over the last 20 years, and it was in fact true! Sure, 28% is pretty pathetic, but at least it’s going up.

Someone mentioned that it’s probably due to the internet, and I would have to agree. I think I got a pretty poor science education in high school. Mostly what I remember about science class in high school was trying to memorize equations. Even back then I though trying to memorize things that you could look up in seconds stupid, so I cheated a little. I had a scientific calculator that I would program the equations into and it would run them for me. Sure it may have been cheating, but it’s really just something you would do if you had to use those equations in real life. In fact at my current job I did a similar thing with calculations we constantly have to make —I make an Excel spreadsheet to calculate them.

I was so frustrated of high school science that my first year in college I took a chemistry and astronomy class and found them totally interesting. Too bad I found the rest of my college classes totally boring and dropped out after a year.

The internet makes it so easy for the people that are interested in science to continue learning. I believe that is where the 28% comes from. The rest of the population that isn’t interested in science just goes on living there lives scientific illiterate. While that in itself isn’t a horrible thing; it’s the people making money off them that I find disgusting. Late night TV and radio is chock-full of scammers trying to make money off of the scientific illiterate. They drive me crazy, but until Americans become more scientific literate, we will all have to put up with the Power Balance bracelets and the many other products of similar ilk.

So everybody seems to be getting their panties in a bunch over their new zodiac sign.  This should prove once and for all for everyone that astrology is bullshit, but it wont.  If your horoscope ever sounded like it fit you, well, you were probably reading the wrong one.  If you read all of them, you would probably notice that they are so vaguely written that they would all probably relate to you, or maybe not because you may be so focused on your own sign, that you wont allow yourself to believe that the other ones relate too.

The Earth wobbles causing the sun to rise in different constellations over time.  Since the current signs of the zodiac were made 2000 years ago, they are off by a month or so, and have been for a long time.  I have no idea why this is making news now.  Probably just a slow news day somewhere. 

There also have always been 13 constellations in the zodiac.  Ophiuchus has always been there — or at least been there as long as humans have been around.  The ancient Babylonians discarded it because they wanted 12 signs.  Just more proof that astrology us bunk.  Here are what the current signs are:

Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16.

Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11.

Pisces: March 11-April 18.

Aries: April 18-May 13.

Taurus: May 13-June 21.

Gemini: June 21-July 20.

Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10.

Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16.

Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30.

Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23.

Scorpio: Nov. 23-29.

Ophiuchus: Nov. 29-Dec. 17.

Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20.

So what’s the harm in believing in astrology?  It’s probably one of the least harmful pseudosciences to believe in.  Most people probably just read it for entertainment purposes.  I personally would like that section of the newspaper replaced by maybe some actual science.  How great would it be to have a different science article everyday?  There is never enough science news in papers, and we all know most Americans could use more science education.

I love Neil deGrasse Tyson, and everything he does to teach science.  Today he tweeted out his “Top five shout-outs for 2010”, and I couldn’t agree with him more.