Hi,

One of major the discussions at the conference centered on the ways in which big ideas from science seep out into broader culture (accurately or not). We talked both about the ideas themselves (views of the earth from space and the feelings evoked by these images, the ability to clone life, the notion that science/technology can or cannot solve all our problems...) and the channels by which those ideas were spread (mass media, school, literature, etc.).

So I'd like to see if we can develop this discussion further here, with two questions:
1) What ideas from or attitudes about science have most clearly spread into broader culture?
2) Why have these insights spread while others have not? (Here I'm trying to identify what happens at the dissemination channels that leads to either accurate or inaccurate notions being spread.)

Todd