The NASA photo below of "Earth-rise" viewed from the surface of the moon is perfect context for my next two statements: 1. Earth is not flat and 2. NASA has placed astronauts on the surface of the moon. These statements are no different than stating that a lemon is yellow or water is a liquid. None of these facts is defined by opinion, belief systems, or hunches. Recently, two high profile National Basketball Association (NBA) players made statements questioning or joking about fundamental science. Honestly, it doesn't really matter whether they were serious or playful, many kids cling to every action or word. I offer this cautionary note because such statements can be game changers for kids and science education.
I have two kids, an 11-year old son and a 15-year old daughter. Like many parents reading this, you know they are in the "everyone knows more about the world than our parents" phase. I am only partially kidding about that (smile). My 11-year old son loves Kyrie Irving (Boston Celtics) and Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors). My son has a pair of Steph Curry shoes and tries to emulate both players' games. Heck, I like them too. They are talented, affable, intelligent, and positive. My intent is not to be malicious or overly critical of them but rather to offer some cautionary perspective.
Science is not a belief system, and "words" matter. As a professor at a major University and atmospheric scientist, I am often asked if "I believe in climate change." I discuss how I deal with that question in a recent Ted Talk. This question is just as problematic as Kyrie casting doubt about about the shape of the Earth or Steph's suggestion that NASA did not send human beings to the moon. To be fair, Kyrie Irving recently walked back his statements at a Forbes Under 30 summit. Multiple reports reveal that Kyrie apologized for his 2017 comments. He expressed remorse after educators stated concerns. By the way, Earth is neither flat nor round (like a basketball), it is actually an oblate spheroid. According to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website,
the Earth is a solid known as an oblate spheroid, somewhat squashed down at the poles and bulging at the equator
More recently, Steph Curry made comments expressing doubt about a moon landing. This comment was so egregious that even the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), my former employer, responded. According to CNN, NASA spokesperson Allard Beutel released this statement:
There's lots of evidence NASA landed 12 American astronauts on the Moon from 1969-1972. We'd love for Mr. Curry to tour the lunar lab at our Johnson Space Center in Houston, perhaps the next time the Warriors are in town to play the Rockets....We have hundreds of pounds of Moon rocks stored there, and the Apollo mission control.
Curry released a statement saying he was kidding but still plans to accept NASA's invitation. I don't blame him. I actually believe he was kidding, but sadly there are plenty of people that believe the "moon landing was a hoax" conspiracy theory (yikes).
This brings me back to my original point. Opinions and belief systems are shaped by our personal "marinades," ideological perspectives, religious beliefs, or political narratives. But sorry, opinions or beliefs don't get to replace facts. Even if you do not believe gravity is real, you are going to probably fall if you stumble from a ladder while changing a lightbulb. The challenge is that in a world of Wikipedia University, Blog State University, and Twitter Tech, every statement of opinion appears to be a fact.
Additionally, society has evolved into one in which celebrity viewpoints are given validity and weight just because we know them, like their music, or love that crossover dribble. To be clear, many famous people have important things to say and are more than capable of speaking on various topics. However, "hunches" or casual banter about scientific facts is dangerous. Such statements may very well be uttered in jest, but as many educators told Kyrie Irving, those statements may carry more weight to an impressionable 8 or 10 year old.
I suspect some of you are thinking - "But Dr. Shepherd parents, mentors, and educators should be the guardians against such falsehoods, it is not the responsibility of the players." I wholeheartedly agree, in theory, but we have to deal with reality not hypothetical worlds. I find a bit of misplaced privilege and naivety in that statement. I certainly have the ability and means to inoculate my kids from careless statements about science. I also have the capacity to teach them critical thinking skills and to consume credible scientific information. However, there are many kids, for whatever reason, that may not have a gatekeeper to fend off misinformation. Their affinity for a favorite player may significantly influence their belief system, outlooks, or actions. Scholarly research continues to show that adolescents look to celebrities for fashion ideas or body image, political views, and consumer products. Recent studies have also explored the influence of celebrities on health decisions and vaccinations. In a 2017 letter to Science magazine, authors write:
Celebrities have an undeniable power over the public, especially when it comes to social media....What social media needs is more scientists not celebrity influencers. There are countless examples of what can go wrong when celebrities and science mix.
I think some of these statements are too broad because many celebrities are perfectly capable of speaking out on topics they care about and should do so. I just caution them that science is inherently based on facts, evidence, and testing not whims or opinions...And the kids are listening.
