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To provide an answer to Edith's question, the following two information
links should be useful:

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/millennium.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Era

I believe that a proper representation of year in history is a science on
its own, in particular this is the year of Physics, a celebration involving
Einstein's unification of time and space a hundred years ago.

I have an interest in the history of astronomy.  China has long recorded
history that can be dated precisely back into the BC era.  For example,
Chinese has a record of the year and month of the return of comet Halley in
613 BC / BCE, and a continuous record of Halley's every return since 240 BC
/ BCE.  We just cannot avoid a precise representation of time around that
period.  We need to know that there is no 0 BC / BCE and 0 AD / CE to do a
proper counting for the number of years between the returns, for instance.

Isn't it part of the science education and an issue of science literacy?

Chee-kuen

YIP, Chee-kuen
Chief Curator
Hong Kong Science Museum





"Robert L. Russell" <[log in to unmask]>@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM> on 23/04/2005
04:52:57

Please respond to Informal Science Education Network
       <[log in to unmask]>

Sent by:    Informal Science Education Network
       <[log in to unmask]>


To:    [log in to unmask]
cc:

Subject:    Re: Science, religion, measurement



OK, I tried to be lighthearted to encouraged people to get off the current
religion, science, BCE vs BC etc routine.  These are all valid, legitimate
issues, but the discussion is getting somewhat esoteric and (at least to
me) tired.
 Can't we move the listserve back to a discussion of science education and
issues of science literacy?

Bob

Robert L. Russell, Ph.D., Principal
Learning Experience Design
(202) 997-5539
[log in to unmask]

Science Advisor, Celebra la Ciencia
www.celebralaciencia.org

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