Public knowledge of science

My trawl of the New York Times today turned-up a profile of Jon D. Miller (Scientist at Work Column in the Science Times section), whose research at Northwestern University addresses public knowledge of science.  The report—on public knowledge of science, not on Miller himself—is gloomy.   Among the results of Miller’s research reported by the Times is “one adult American in five thinks the sun revolves around the Earth.”  While I can shake my head in disbelief that 20% of Americans misunderstand the basic structure of the solar system, Miller’s research indicates “only 20 to 25 percent of Americans are ‘scientifically savvy and alert’” and the rest “don’t have clue.”