DOES the sun revolve around the Earth? About one third of Russians appear to believe so, according to a survey published today.

Thirty-two percent of Russians reject a sun-centered Solar system, four percent more than in 2007 when a similar survey was conducted, the Russian Center of Public Opinion Research showed.

The survey highlighted scientific superstitions among Russians and was released as Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called this week for national lunar and deep space programs.

The survey also found 55 percent of Russians believe that radioactivity is a human invention.

Twenty-nine percent believe humans lived in the era of dinosaurs. Women are more likely than men to believe scientific superstitions, the survey found.

The survey was conducted in January among 1600 people in different regions, with a 3.4-percent margin of error.

Originally published as Scientific superstitions thriving in Russia