(Photograph) - More than 100 people have signed an on-line petition condemning the “dumbing-down” of the new science GCSEs, many arguing that physics has been reduced to a “fiasco”. Some 127 people signed a petition against the new physics course, while 77 backed another on the Downing Street website criticising the new science GCSEs generally. The exams, launched last year, have been designed to fire pupils’ interest in issues such as global warming and cloning, but have sharply divided classroom opinion. Some have dubbed them “science for the pub”. Photograph: Ashley Coombes