Science Misconceptions
A short list of perpetuated pseudo-scientific views.
Folk science and actual science differ considerably in many cases. While they may not have much bearing on every day life, these misconceptions are still troubling and should be corrected by science communicators and educators. While the list is nearly endless, here are just a few science misconceptions.
The Species Problem and Micro/Macro Evolution
While it’s easy to discuss extinctions of lineages, there is something called “the species problem” which makes it very difficult to talk about the emergence and extinction of a given species, and really most taxons. People often think of the concept of “species” as a clear cut issue. Something either is of a certain species or it isn’t. But unfortunately there’s never been a solid definition of “species” that satisfies scientific rigor. Instead, whether something is or is not of the same species is just something biologists reference to give a general idea of what population they’re talking about.
The misconception of the rigidity of species and speciation — the formation of a new species — also leads to a misunderstanding of evolution. A lot of discussions of evolution vs creationism center around the distinction between microevolution and macroevolution. Those who…
