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Teaching the Controversy

Sometimes it takes a comic strip to make a point clearer than it could be made with words alone.

I've long felt frustrated with the "teach-the-controversy" idea. If I and a couple other scientists stop believing in electrons because we can't see them and no one has ever seen one, is there now a controversy that should be taught in high school physics?

How about a flat Earth. These people still believe the Earth is flat, so do we have a controversy? This crazy celebrity believes that vaccines cause autism. These politicians over here believe that there is no global warming. These Japanese fishermen believe that killing endangered dolphins whales is a good idea. How about the face on Mars? Unicorns? The Loch Ness monster? When does it stop? And when can teachers get back to teaching basic biology?


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