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Home > News

Author, lecturer Plait deconstructs astronomy myths

Adam Ziegler

Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: News

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The moon landing was faked, martians exist and Dennis
Kucinich really saw a UFO.

These are the things Phil Plait hopes no one
ever believes.

Plait is an astronomer and author of the book "Bad
Astronomy" whose work focuses on debunking misconceptions about astronomy and
science. He will be speaking today at 7 p.m. in the Nebraska Union about claims
that the first moon landing was a hoax.

Plait received a doctorate in
astronomy from the University of Virginia in 1994 and wrote science articles for
newspaper and magazines while working as a research astronomer in California.
After several years working in education and public outreach for the astronomy
department at Sonoma State University, he left the school to write and speak
about astronomy full time.

"He has a reputation as a well known and very
good speaker," said Kevin Lee, a research associate professor for the department
of physics and astronomy.

Astronomy has interested Plait since his dad
got him a telescope when he was five years old. After he saw Saturn for the
first time Plait knew he wanted to be an astronomer.

"Every time someone
sees Saturn through a telescope, it's mind boggling because it looks exactly
like it does in pictures," Plait said.

Plait began debunking astronomy
myths while he was a grad student at the University of Virginia. After watching
a local new report about how the sun's position above the equator during the
vernal equinox allows people to stand eggs on their ends, he wrote an article
disproving the myth and showing eggs can stand on end at any time of
year.

"I put stuff on the Web in 1993 when it was brand-spanking-new and
over the years (my work) grew more and more," he said.

Plait said it's
important to dispel these scientific myths because believing them promotes
misunderstandings about how the world works.

"They're bad because they
erode people's ability to understand reality," he said.

Plait said the
main reasons people hold these misconceptions include a general distrust of
government and the exciting nature of science myths, most involving conspiracy
and cover-ups.

Continued...

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Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1

Yev

posted 11/02/07 @ 11:43 AM CST

Wow! Plait is the reason I decided to became an astronomer myself! I
completely agree that these astronomy 'myths' definitely hurt astrology as a
whole. (Continued…)

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