The majority of the European population is interested in science, follows scientific information through traditional and digital communication channels and believes that this is the most objective and valid knowledge today. In practice, however, there is a gap between this interest and the level of knowledge. While most Europeans understand some basic scientific concepts, such as the role of plants in oxygen supply (90%), the origin of the universe (70%), and the origin and evolution of humans (79%), there is a significant lack in Related to health and the environment, such as the references to antibiotics and climate change: only 50% of citizens accept the notion that “antibiotics destroy viruses” as false, and only 37% recognize the untruth that “climate change is happening”. the hole in the ozone layer. In Spain, the figures drop to 43% and 27% respectively.
This is some of the data from the BBVA Foundation’s Science Culture study, released today, which analyzes interest in science, its understanding and perceptions of its impact on the world by citizens from Spain, Germany, France and the UK. Despite the fact that this gap exists in terms of lack of knowledge about important scientific concepts, the authors consider that “the data in the four European societies are favorable in terms of science as an institution” and point out, that there is a high level of trust in the scientific community, particularly in Spain. “The majority [de las personas] knows quite well how scientific theories and models are validated: through observations and experiments that can be replicated by independent researchers and published in scientific journals to become public knowledge,” said Mariana Szmulewicz, a researcher at the Institute for Social Sciences and Public Opinion of Organization and one of the authors The study was conducted between October and November 2022 with a representative sample of 1,500 participants per country.
In Spain there has been a growing public interest in science over the past decade. In 2012, just 15% of the population said science was a very or fairly frequent presence in conversations with family or friends, a figure that has risen to 47% in 2022, according to the report. Despite increasing popularity, Spain lags behind its European peers when it comes to its scientific contribution to the world. Spaniards perceive the lack of support from business, society and government due to the development of science: only half believe that Spain makes scientific contributions to the world, while 8 in 10 Germans positively assess their country’s role in contributing knowledge to the world.
Both the approach and the positive perception of science follow a trend: it is the youngest and most educated who present higher scientific findings and recognize their consequences. According to the researcher, this demographic, which to a greater extent has completed secondary and even tertiary education, has the bases to recognize the continuous advances in science after leaving the classroom. “With this greater knowledge there is a more positive attitude towards science in general, but also the ability to distinguish scientific developments without having to accept uncritically everything that comes from science or is presented as science,” emphasizes Szmulewicz.
In order to counteract this generation gap, the expert assures, it is necessary “to take countermeasures through the education system” and to fight to convey the knowledge that is produced in scientific institutions such as universities and other public research institutions in an understandable way: “Especially in crisis contexts like the pandemic and climate change represent windows of opportunity to capture the attention of the public that has already left the classroom,” he adds.
The research demonstrates the belief that science will guide material progress in the world and will be responsible for improving people’s lives, particularly in health-related issues such as cancer treatment and disease management. Most respondents believe that the fruits of science will open the doors to a better world in terms of technological developments such as solar energy, biotechnology, nanotechnology and even artificial intelligence.
But there are nuances. There is disagreement about its contribution to solving societal problems such as poverty: only 42% of all countries believe that science will do “a lot” or “enough” to reduce social inequality. Regarding climate change, the data shows that a large majority trust the scientific evidence and that science and technology will play a fundamental role in combating climate change. “But surely they also understand that in addition to knowledge, other changes in the social, organizational and economic sphere must also be carried out,” assures the researcher from the BBVA Foundation.
science, politics and religion
The affinity for science is also somewhat greater among those who identify as left than right and less religious, “but it is by no means a rejection,” says the study. The data shows a consensus in all countries (on average 84% and 95% in Spain) that religious beliefs should not limit scientific progress. “Even the majority of the religious population accepts the current explanation about the origin of the universe or the evolution of humans from earlier animal species,” emphasizes Szmulewicz.
In Spain, the strongest rejection by these groups is linked to some areas of the life sciences, such as biomedical research involving embryos or others “that collide with moral criteria of a religious matrix”. To deal with such friction, Szmulewicz suggests that, in addition to sharing knowledge, the scientific community is “open to dialogue about the ethical aspects of their work”. Nevertheless, the European scenario is positive. “Neither in most of Europe nor in Spain does the phenomenon of organized resistance and mistrust of science documented in the United States, associated with political leaders and think tanks, exist. [gabinetes de estrategia] ultra-conservative orientation,” concludes the researcher.
In all four countries, the vast majority of respondents associate an academic career with prestige and that it is more demanding than most other professions. Around 90% of the sample stated that women are just as qualified for scientific positions as men.
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