In 1990 thousands of people in Missouri followed a scientist’s advice and
prepared for an earthquake. The trouble was, he was a zoologist—and the
catastrophe never happened. Christopher Toumey’s Conjuring Science (Rutgers
University Press, $16.95, ISBN 0 8135 2285 4), marshals examples of how
widespread ignorance of science in the US makes people trust its
symbols—such as technical terms, credentials and standards of
proof—over substance. Toumey has cut a real gem of anthropology.
More from Â鶹´«Ã½
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending Â鶹´«Ã½ articles
1
Exclusive report: Inside Chernobyl, 40 years after nuclear disaster
2
Electric vehicle owners could earn thousands by supporting power grid
3
Neanderthal infants were enormous compared with modern humans
4
How autoimmune conditions can unexpectedly drive mental illness
5
Largest ever map of universe captures 47 million galaxies and quasars
6
You can now buy a DIY quantum computer
7
From autism to migraines, birth order may have wide-reaching effects
8
How to spot the Lyrid meteor shower tonight
9
Beef is making a comeback – does it fit into a healthy diet?
10
Quantum computers could usher in a crisis worse than Y2K
