Scientific Savvy?

Galileo Galilei interrogated by the Church authorities and convicted of teaching that the earth went around the sun

When it comes to scientific literacy, most Americans "don't have a clue."
At a time when science permeates debates on everything from global warming to stem cell research, people's inability to understand basic scientific concepts undermines their ability to take part in the democratic process.
the 2005 New York Times article is HERE