Why do only half of Americans accept evolution?

In Darwin's time there was a relative lack of evidence supporting his theory, but he still found a considerable amount in fields like biogeography, embryology, and paleontology. Now, advances in science have added new evidence in those fields, as well genetics, microbiology, immunology, and a host of others.

Evolutionary principles have lead to better treatments for diseases such as leukemia and AIDS, and speciation has been witnessed in scientific experiments involving short-generation species such as fruit flies. Also, fossils of "transitional species" such as tiktaalik continue to emerge as predicted.

Thus far, opponents to evolution have focused vainly on undermining the research without providing a reasonable alternative.

So why is it that 51% of Americans don't accept evolution? If we're really still in such a Dark Age-mentality, why don't we also still believe that the world is flat, that the sun revolves around it, and that literate women should be burned at the stake?

Isn't this a repetitive question? Somehow Bush ended up in he White House twice and we (America) did nothing about it. If we are so complacent about who our president is and representing our interest in foreign affairs, do you think people would worry about something so trivial as the theory of evolution?

In Pennsylvania and Georgia groups have already convinced school boards that "Intelligent Design" is a science (one moment while I go vomit). This says one of two things, either these school boards need some education to teach them the difference between science and faith - OR - the 51% came out in force intimidating the crap out of the boards (which are elected into term - hmmm) while the 49% sat at home not watching Fox.

This is an example of the power of science being used against itself. My favorite that I heard from an 'intelligent design' argument was "Evolution is a theory, well, intelligent design is also a theory so they should both be taught in school, if not, then no theories should be taught in school"
That would make geometry pretty damn hard, does that mean we need to throw out the Pythagorean Theory as well?

When science is used in a case like this, they pick and choose what 'parts' of science to use to further their agenda.

It's one thing to have faith, but to push that faith onto others, especially in a public forum such as a public school, is wrong. There is no argument here, science is not a faith and that is why science is taught in school. If these people want to categorize religion as a science, then they either have to:
Accept ALL religions as science and allow ALL religious creation stories to be taught, OR
If they feel that since religion as a faith cannot be taught and equate science to being a faith, then they must abandon all they have that is now here as a result of scientific discovery (how long do you think they'd last without their TVs, cell phones, medication, cars, etc.)

because the other half
believe in something called

"Intelligent Design"
where it is believed humans were created by something or someone, etc, intelligently designed (may carry somewhat from religion, God, or a belief in the universe is infinite, possibilities infinite, so E.Ts, etc)

which is being taught in high school textbooks as well (i think)

Because they see evolution as challenging, correctly or not, their belief in god. I wish they would give the physicists 3.41 X 10^-20 as much grief over the theory of gravity as they give we poor biologist over the theory that is the framework of biology.

I believe that more than half of the people who don't support evolution, simply don't know enough about it to accept it. People tend to be afraid of something that contradicts what they've been taught as they grow up, so when in doubt, they rather stick to what they already know.

the answer is religion - particularly the christian religions, the bible & all that

I have to agree with jonm and Alvaro but I shall say what they said using more simple words.....

"the remaining who don't accept the "evolution explanation" simply they still have the "chewing gum" between their ears...."

Darwin found all kinds of evidence to support evolution, particularly when he visited the Galapagos Islands and observed the different varieties finches.

Americans have always disliked and mistrusted powerful organizations, especially those they perceive to be dictating how they should think or believe. There used to be a time when for most of the questions about life and the natural world, the bible had as many answers as "science" did. Now that science has pervaded almost every sphere of life and the world, offering detailed explanations for biological life, earth history, astronomy, physics, even the mind and the human consciousness, Americans are rebelling against the steady erosion of the power of the bible to explain those things. No clearer example of this cultural war over "authority over truth" is in the battlefield of our public schools, where increasingly parents are decrying science as "just another religion", with no less authority to dictate terms in schools than churches ought to have. They feel that they must "take back what they've lost". Evolution is the lightning rod in this war, but resentment towards science as a whole appears to be growing.

The problem in this country is education. People think a "theory" is something to be proven or disproven and claim that Darwin's theory is not proven. This is simply ignorance of symantics. This theory is a way of explaining the way in which the world works. Evolution occurs on the principle of survival of the fittest. You won't find a scientist who disagrees with this concept, but you will find many others who do. Whom do you believe? A religious or political leader is primarily concerned with how to keep the power obtained or possibly increase it, and this is usually a debate that they have created completely out of thin air. The concept is not debatable. Everything alive fights to stay alive when stressed. Two children born with different abilities will have a different probability of survival depending on those probabilities. Long term the probabilities always work out the way they should. Thus evolution.

The reason many people in this country don't believe it is the same as the reason many of them don't know many other simple facts - they aren't educated. Going to school does not equal education. In the inner city schools it is culturally frowned upon for a child to try to get good grades! They may go to school, but in order to fit in they don't make a visible effort to learn. This is not only allowed, but at some point encouraged! Also, look at the history of the current administration and how much is spent on education compared to other programs that make profits for the upper class or war...The real question should be why?

Sounds like what you really want is a fight since evolution has now become pretty much proven to be a hoax and a myth perpetuated by people who over eager to jump on that old Darwin band-wagon with a few broken axles-simply because it once offered an alternative point of view that explained the existence of life in a way that sounded logical to minds that did not want to accept divine creation---there has never yet been one single solitary creature that has been proven to have evolved into another living creature.if evolution were true there would be considerable evidence everywhere. there are no 'transitional species'-----none--- zilch----let's face it----Darwin is nothing more than a crack-pot.

By definition, it is a statistical fact that 50% of people have below average intelligence.
The higher your education level, the more you are likely to understand evolution. People don't accept evolution because they don't understand it. Creation is simple. First there was nothing, then there was everything - simple concept really. Wrong, but simple.
To understand evolution, a person has to accept many things, which they were brought up to believe, are now wrong; such as the age of the Earth. The argument goes like this: evolution could not have occurred, because the Earth is only 6000 years old, and evolution occurs over millions of years. Therefore evolution must be wrong.
It is easier to dismiss evolution and get on with their daily lives and leave evolution to the scientists.

It doesn't affect most people whether creation or evolution is right, so long as the television works.