Imposter Planet
Today I helped a five-year-old kid complete a puzzle of the solar system. It was actually really fun - I think I might have enjoyed it more than he did!
The solar system in the puzzle had a notable exception from the solar system that I learnt at school. Pluto, it turns out, was never a planet after all. In 2006, it was downgraded to a “dwarf planet” by the International Astronomical Union, who sound like they know a thing or two about space.
It made me wonder how many other things I learnt at school have subsequently been found to be inaccurate. Probably a lot, I expect. For much of the general curriculum, I have a time slice of received wisdom from c.1996-2009 in my head, following me through life in ignorant bliss.
That, together with the fact I’ve forgotten 90% of what I learnt anyway, means I’d almost certainly fail most high school exams today. That’s pretty humbling.