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July, 1998
Bad Astronomy
http://www.badastronomy.com
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
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CONTENT:
Users can find examples of misinterpretations and wrong statements of astronomical facts. The author points out scientific errors presented in films, television shows, print media, and news.
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AESTHETICS:
The homepage displays paragraphs of text with hyperlinks to other sections of the site. Many of the sections include small photos or graphics.
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ORGANIZATION:
The table of contents at the top of the page has links to each main section. Each page has a link back to the main page. Users can access two other Web sites by the same author: "Bite-sized Astronomy" and "Mad Science," both with links back to the Bad Astronomy page.
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REVIEW:
The author is an astronomer, teacher, and lecturer who has created this site to promote "good science" while exposing "bad" examples of scientific reporting, specifically about astronomy. The site includes examples of bad reporting on TV, in the news, and in films. Users will find links to pages with other science misconceptions, as well as pages that promote good science. The "Bite Sized Astronomy" page presents a new astronomy tidbit weekly. The "Mad Science" area lists questions about science the author answered as part of an Ask-a-Scientist group. The site has a search engine to allow viewers to search by keywords. Users can connect with one another on the bulletin board. The Bad Astronomy list describes some particularly silly misconceptions. This is a good site for science teachers to use as an introduction to astronomy or as a complementary activity in astronomy or space science lessons.
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