People are quick to believe what they read in a newspaper. Unfortunately, not unlike politics, sloppy journalism has a powerful tendency to influence popular thought and perpetuate mass ignorance.
For example, most people believe the myth that nuclear power is, without question, more dangerous than fossil fuels, despite history proving otherwise. We all experienced the hysterical anti-nuclear alarmism that was shoved down our throats during the Fukushima disaster; you’d be forgiven for thinking that thousands died from a radioactive fallout instead of a colossal earthquake and tsunami. In reality, not one person died from that power plant’s minor leakages; yet, thousands die, each year, from coal mining accidents and fossil-fuel-related incidents.
Much the same misguidance can be said about most things relating to science. And it usually boils down to one common denominator.
Sources.
Watch this video. It’s worth the few minutes of your time.
….it could also be because people don’t actually bother to make a study of the subject they’re throwing a tantrum about.
They also don’t read anything more complicated than a paragraph or two in Scientific American (because God Forbid we strain or brains) …