There could well be shortcomings in our educations systems these days but I'm with Mike on this one. I know plenty of people who are smart, but they don't know the basic physics. In some cases, their education (via business school at high school level) did not offer them the opportunity to learn science, however, in most cases I've come across its because that's not what interests them.
Sometimes I've witnessed the same Eureka moment more than once... because it didn't interest them enough to retain that info.
I find it fascinating, 'cause to me its basic, but I guess there are things that don't interest me that I don't remember either... I can't think what...
Al.