Misconception of the Month
NCSE tackles common misconceptions about climate change, evolution, and the nature of science.
March 22, 2022
In 2015, recognizing the existential threat posed by global climate change and the need for coordinated action, nearly 200 nations adopted the Paris Agreement, a framework for addressing the climate threat on an international scale. A central goal of the agreement was this:
Holding the increase…
May 31, 2021
Have you heard the joke about the museum guide who, when asked about the sign explaining that dinosaurs became extinct 65,000,004 years ago, replied, “When we put up the exhibit, the experts told us that dinosaurs had been extinct for 65,000,000 years. That was four years ago!”
Pretty silly, I…
April 4, 2021
At NCSE, we design all our curricular resources around the concept of misconception-based learning. But why do we care so much about the need to confront and correct misconceptions as part of a great science education? Here’s my answer: misconceptions are like vulnerabilities in your home security…
March 4, 2021
How would you feel if you visited your favorite news website tomorrow morning and saw the headline: “Study finds surfing internet at least 8 hours per day adds years to life, eating nachos extends benefit”? C’mon, admit it. You’d definitely click. And then what? How would you decide whether the…
February 4, 2021
Starting in February 2021, each month we shine a light on an aspect of science that is often misunderstood or misrepresented. Read all our Misconception of the Month articles.
Fact: Evolution happens because some variants are more successful than others.
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