Do you know more about science and technology than the average American?

Chemistry (Photo credit: Lower Columbia College)

Think you know your science and technology? Test your knowledge with a 13-question quiz put together by the Pew Research Center and Smithsonian Magazine.

The test was given to a random, representative sampling of 1,006 American adults and provides a stepping-off point for some interesting discussions about the state of scientific and technological knowledge in America.

Pew’s analysis of the results are available, but as they warn, you should take the test for yourself first!

CBC Tapestry Interview: The Problem with “Spiritual but Not Religious”

Spiritual (Photo credit: songedeluxe)

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“Spiritual, but not religious”.

It’s a belief description claimed by some of the “nones” – not affiliated with a specific religion, but claiming “spirituality” of some sort.

But what does “spiritual but not religious” mean? Does modern “spirituality” have any intellectual backing? And do these “spiritual but not religious” beliefs do more harm than good? David Webster, who teaches philosophy, religion, and ethics at the University of Gloucestershire, argues that not only are these beliefs undefined, but they can even make people stupid, selfish and unhappy.

Webster was interviewed this week by Mary Hynes on the CBC Radio religion program Tapestry. The fascinating interview can be found on the Tapestry website and is the first interview in the podcast.

Webster is also the author of Dispirited: How Contemporary Spirituality Makes Us Stupid, Selfish and Unhappy, which was published in 2012 by Zero Books.

Walter Cronkite in the Home Office of 2001… in 1967

Time for a dose of retro-futurism. From the March 12, 1967 episode of the CBS show “The 21st Century”, here’s Walter Cronkite showing viewers the home office of the future:

Discounting the cringingly dated assumptions – “Now this is where a man might spend most of his time in the home office of the 21st century” – the predictions of the 21st century home office are quite accurate. The show manages to predict flat-panel computer monitors, instant access of weather, financial information and news, and even a rudimentary form of Skype.

Best lines? “With equipment like this in the home of the future… we may not have to go to work. The work would come to us.” Sorry, but no. That’s one thing we denizens of the future still haven’t managed to totally achieve.

(H/T to @petermansbridge for the link)