Three quarters of Americans believe that the Earth orbits the Sun. Three quarters. That’s almost all of the quarters. It’s practically everyone who is awake at any one time. Good news, huh?

I mean, the opposing view — that the Earth is the centre of the universe, that the stars are merely glimmers of light embedded into a dome-like sky which in no way resembles the ground upon which we tread, and that the sun is a blazing flying fireball moving daily from east to west, giving blessed life-force to man, beast, and flora — has dominated human culture for thousands of years.

Yes, I accept that this view has been identified as groundless for a couple of centuries (well, at least four), but listen: not everyone is going to take a geekish interest in the latest scientific advances. Glass. Half. Full. Continue reading “Half-full glass latest: Americans beginning to accept heliocentrism”