Summary
In this episode of StarTalk's Cosmic Queries, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice discuss science literacy in the age of misinformation with guest David Halpern, a professor and author of "A Survival Guide to the Misinformation Age." Halpern emphasizes the importance of teaching people how to construct knowledge for themselves, rather than just feeding them information, and separating belief from facts. He also discusses the challenges of social media and the internet, which can create echo chambers that reinforce false beliefs, and the need for transparency in scientific research. The hosts also touch on the topic of dark matter and the difficulty in detecting it directly, as well as the importance of probability and statistics in assessing evidence. They also address the issue of anti-science beliefs and how society, government, and educators can deal with them. The episode concludes with a call to "make America smart again" and a recommendation to check out Halpern's book.
