HNRS-110 | Chummy with Math & Science

Full Title: Getting Chummy with Math and Science

Topic Description:

Lack of understanding of worldly phenomenon both drives scientific and mathematical study and potentially rejects it. The world was assumed to be flat until curiosity about shadows cast by the sun led to the discovery that the Earth was round. Astronomers learned that the planets revolve around the Sun in an elliptical orbit, which, along with falling objects (apples?), led to the discovery of gravity. Discovering penicillin came from experiments conducted by a bacteriologist. And yet, some people still believe the Earth is flat, and many more people believe that all vaccines aren’t safe. The disconnect between scientific and mathematical results and the general public is disconcerting. How do we make these findings more approachable? And how do we bridge a gap of mistrust between STEM and the general public?

Counts as Global? No

Topic Approved: April 2021