Documentary: PBS NOVA "Judgment Day"

(1)   Introduction to documentary

Before watching this section I need to address something:

There have been a number of students who have taken exception to my comments regarding the nature of science, and have gone so far as to characterize  my statements and my message as "indoctrination." That's OK. If you wish to call it "indoctrination", that's your prerogative. It is also your prerogative to call a horse a cow. It's a free country.

My job is to teach you what science really is. If you want to call that "indoctrination", have at it. Guilty as charged. I'm still going to teach that two plus two equals four, no matter who that offends.

I make no apology whatsoever for calling out purveyors of false science for what they are: criminally irresponsible charlatans whose poisonous anti-science dreck has directly caused otherwise avoidable death and misery.

And yes, I'm talking about Tucker Carson, Sean Hannity, Fox News, OAN, Newsmax, et al.

Welcome to college. College is supposed to be provocative, and if you play in this arena, you can't be afraid of the sight of your own blood.

You have now gone through demonstrations of lab procedures, you've been shown in detail what the Scientific Method is all about, and you've been taught the language of science. 

If you do nothing else, at the very least walk out of this course at the end of the semester knowing that science research is not conducted in social media, on Fox News, or with your buddy at the pub.

It's just too damned important.

As this documentary will show, science illiteracy comes with a price.

(2) IMPORTANT:

     (a) Before watching the documentary download and print the graded study guide below - you're going to need it! 

     (b) Take your time with this. Hit "pause" and "rewind" liberally

     (c) Once you have completed the documentary and the study guide, enter your answers in the Achieve assignment "Judgment Day."

     (d) CAUTION:

The answers in the Achieve assignment are NOT in the same order as the study guide (the Achieve algorithms don't allow it)

(3) Documentary