I'm not trying to "take sides" on this issue, but let's face the facts:
the majority of people (at least in the US) are scientifically illiterate.
Have you ever seen the video/CD "Private Universe"? They interview a major in some science field (astrophysics?) and he had no idea why there are seasons. Another female with a like degree said she never had much science and has gotten very far without it. She, also, did not know why there were phases of the moon or seasons.
The other evening I was attempting to explain the full meaning of the Greek word "metamorphosis" and I started out with .... "if you remember, from your biology class...." and immediately you would have thought I asked the people to disembowel themselves ... all I heard were loud sighs and "I liked art not science" ..etc. I plant flowers (red zinnias) to attract Black Swallowtail butterflies into my yard, then have fennel plants for them to lay their eggs and the instars can safely live until they enter their chrysalis ... basic back yard "science". But you would think by the reaction of the ladies that I was talking subatomic particle physics. Obviously these people did not have excellent experiences in science...or they chose to ignore their opportunities to learn about the world around them.