A report from the Pew Research Center, based on a pair of surveys conducted in the US by this institution in collaboration with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), shows some wide gaps between the views of the general public and scientists about major science-related issues. The polls were administered in 2014 to random samples of 2.000 citizens and 3.750 scientists.

---Only 50% of citizens say that climate change is occurring mostly because of human activity such as burning fossil fuels, compared with 87% of AAAS scientists (37-point gap). Among the general public, 23% say that climate change is mostly because of natural patterns in the earth’s environment, and another 25% say there is no solid evidence the earth is getting warmer. In addition, no more than 33% of adults think climate change is “a very serious problem”, while 77% of scientists believe it is (44-point gap). Among the public, views about climate change tend to differ by party, political ideology and age. Republicans, people with conservative views and adults ages 65 and older are more skeptical than other groups that there is solid evidence the earth is warming.

--Merely 37% of citizens say eating genetically modified foods is safe, compared with 88% of scientists (51 point gap). 57% of adults say eating this kind of foods is unsafe and 67% believe scientists does not have a clear understanding of the health effects of GM foods. Even 47% of people with a college degree think GM foods are unsafe. Also 28% of adults and 68% of scientists say eating foods grown with pesticides is safe (40-point gap). Among the public, 69% think it is unsafe.  

--47% of adults and 89% of scientists favor the use of animals in scientific research (42-point gap). Among the public, 60% of men and only 35% of women favor animal research.

--45% of citizens and 65% of scientists favor building more nuclear power plants (20-point gap). 51% of adults and 33% of scientists oppose building more plants. Among the public, there are no or only modest differences by education on this issue.

--65% of citizens and 98% of scientists say “humans and other living things have evolved over time” (33-point gap). 31% of the public believe humans have existed in their present form “since the beginning of time.” 75% of college graduates think humans have evolved over time, compared with 56% of those with a high school diploma or less. Beliefs about evolution also differ strongly by religion and political group.

--68% of adults and 86% of scientists say vaccines for childhood diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella and polio should be required (18-point gap). Younger adults are less inclined than older generations to believe vaccines should be required. 37% of adults under age 50 say it should be left up to parental choice, compared with 22% of those ages 50 and older.

What are your reflections? Why do some of these differences of views exist? Do they have further consequences for scientific work? How could the more problematic gaps be reduced?

(More issues and detailed information in the attached report)      

http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/29/public-and-scientists-views-on-science-and-society/

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