(meteorobs) Fw: [IMO-News] METEOR CONTEMPORARY POETRY PROJECT (5)

Swift, Wesley Wesley.R.Swift at msfc.nasa.gov
Thu Jun 23 10:48:01 EDT 2005


 

	In fact, turtles ride on turtles... It is turtles all the way down!

Wes

-----Original Message-----
From: meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org
[mailto:meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org] On Behalf Of belatrix
Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 9:51 PM
To: Global Meteor Observing Forum
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Fw: [IMO-News] METEOR CONTEMPORARY POETRY PROJECT
(5)

Hi Wes,
I find it hard to believe that these sort of isolated cases of confusion are
only confined to Australia and the US?
Indeed I have also met full grown adults with some strange misunderstandings
in their general and basic knowledge of the workings of their universe.
I have heard (isolated) questions like 'what makes the moon glow?' from 40
year olds. Sadly general/basic knowledge of the workings of the immediate
universe are not rated as of high importance here in Australia amongst the
public as maybe it should be. But I bet those same kids mentioned would whip
the participants of the conference's backsides at any PC/console games they
care to play them at :-).
   I have heard of a similarly surprising commonly mentioned stories of
holes in general knowledge i.e. university hopefuls sitting entrance exams,
unable to correctly explain the cycle/system that gives us the changing
seasons on Earth!!!  I find that more shocking! Your so right Wes it is also
the job of parents to make sure their kids know this stuff, not just the
poor old teachers.
  Anyway we all now know the earth is flat and rides on the back of a giant
turtle? :-) Cheers Kearn

On 23/06/2005, at 1:04 AM, Swift, Wesley wrote:

>  !!!
>
>   I thought these confusions were only here (US).   The obvious 
> solution is
> to try to get parents and kids to spend time together outside, 
> watching the
> world.   A simple experiment can be done before sunset near the first
> quarter moon:  Hold up a grapefruit or basketball and look at the 
> pattern of
> the sun falling on it.   "Orbit" the ball about the observer and when 
> the
> pattern matches that of the moon the ball will be just under the moon. 
>   At
> this point it is obvious that the moon orbits the observer.  To 
> realize the Earth orbits the Sun takes a whole year of observing and 
> talking about things.  The secret is for parents to be with kids and 
> to "Keep looking up"
>
> Wes
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org
> [mailto:meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org] On Behalf Of belatrix
> Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 10:05 PM
> To: Global Meteor Observing Forum
> Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Fw: [IMO-News] METEOR CONTEMPORARY POETRY 
> PROJECT
> (5)
>
> HEY!! I resent that - little aussie kids couldnt give a XXXX what the 
> earth revolves around (or poetry) . Havent you guys got anything 
> better to do at these conferences!!?? drinking and poetry whats going 
> on over there?
> Cheers
> Kearn
>
>> Arnold Tukkers:
>> I shall tell you why. Once in Australia, for example, teachers from 
>> primary schools were asked to make a drawing of the Sun, the Earth, 
>> and the Moon. 90% drew the Sun orbiting the Earth, not the other way 
>> round...
>>
>> Conference participants:
>> Ooo...!
>>
>> Gelu-Claudiu Radu (joking):
>> Maybe in Australia the Sun really orbits the Earth...
>>
>> Conference participants:
>> Ha-ha-ha...!
>>

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