Science

climate, energy & environmentMay 28, 2026

About six-in-ten Americans say countries around the world, including the U.S., will not do enough to avoid the worst effects of climate change. This growing pessimism is driven by Democrats.

reportApr 7, 2026

reportMay 7, 2026

A composite image of Photos, left to right: Barbara Lorena Vergarargara, Eleganza, MStudioImages and FujiCraft, all via Getty Images. Photo illustration by Pew Research Center.

reportApr 3, 2026

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reportMar 21, 2006

First Anniversary of the Death of Terri Schiavo

Pew Forum and Pew Research Center Resources on End-of-Life Issues This month marks the first anniversary of the death of Terri Schiavo, the severely brain-damaged Florida woman whose medical condition led to an emotional public debate over end-of-life issues. Schiavo died on March 31, 2005, after state courts repeatedly affirmed the right of her husband […]
reportFeb 28, 2006

Both Reds and Blues Go Green on Energy
reportFeb 28, 2006

Both Reds and Blues Go Green on Energy

But divisions within both political parties block consensus on eco-friendly alternatives to oil.
reportFeb 28, 2006

Both Reds and Blues Go Green on Energy

But divisions within both political parties block consensus on eco-friendly alternatives to oil.
fact sheetFeb 1, 2006

Supreme Court’s Decision in Gonzales v. Oregon : High Court Rejects Federal Regulation of Physician-Assisted Suicide

Download the Decision Analysis Download the Legal Backgrounder On January 17, 2006, the Supreme Court ruled that the 1970 Controlled Substances Act (CSA) does not give the U.S. attorney general the authority to prohibit Oregon doctors from prescribing lethal doses of drugs to certain terminally ill patients who want to end their own lives. The […]
reportJan 31, 2006

Supreme Court’s Decision in <i>Gonzales v. Oregon</i>

The Pew Forum analyzes the Supreme Court’s January 17 decision that the 1970 Controlled Substances Act (CSA) does not give the U.S. attorney general the authority to prohibit Oregon doctors from prescribing lethal doses of drugs to certain terminally ill patients who want to end their own lives.
reportJan 5, 2006

Strong Public Support for Right to Die

Summary of Findings An overwhelming majority of the public supports laws that give patients the right to decide whether they want to be kept alive through medical treatment. And fully 70% say there are circumstances when patients should be allowed to die, while just 22% believe that doctors and nurses should always do everything possible […]
transcriptDec 5, 2005

The Biology Wars: The Religion, Science and Education Controversy

Key West, Florida Some of the nation’s leading journalists gathered in Key West, Florida, in December 2005 for the Pew Forum’s biannual Faith Angle Conference on religion, politics and public life. Conference speaker Edward J. Larson, Talmadge Chair of Law and Russell Professor of American History at the University of Georgia, discussed the history of […]
fact sheetSep 30, 2005

Supreme Court Considers Challenge to Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act: Gonzales v. Oregon and the Right to Die

On October 5, 2005, the Supreme Court will hear oral argument in Gonzales v. Oregon, a case arising from the conflict between Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act and the U.S. attorney general’s interpretation of the federal Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Oregon’s law, which was twice approved by the state’s voters, permits physicians to prescribe […]
transcriptSep 29, 2005

The Right to Assisted Suicide?: Oregon Goes to the Supreme Court

Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. Oregon has twice, by ballot initiative, adopted a measure allowing for physician-assisted suicide. The measure, known as the “Death With Dignity Act,” raises serious moral and ethical questions, and was challenged by the U.S. Department of Justice. The Department contended that it had the right to invalidate the law, […]

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Signature Reports

reportMar 17, 2022

Illustration shows Vitruvian man drawing and a computer wireframe

Public views are tied to how these technologies would be used and what constraints would be in place.

reportSep 29, 2020

Majorities across 20 publics say government investments in scientific research are worthwhile and express a lot or some confidence in scientists to do what is right for the public.

reportMar 1, 2022

A photo that shows Orlando Utility Commission's Stanton Solar Farm outside Orlando, Florida, in September 2021. In the distance is the utility's Stanton Energy Center, powered by coal and natural gas.

Majorities of Americans say the United States should prioritize the development of renewable energy sources and take steps toward the country becoming carbon neutral by the year 2050. But just 31% want to phase out fossil fuels completely, and many foresee unexpected problems in a major transition to renewable energy.

reportDec 10, 2020

Image shows an employee observes DNA sequencing at the functional genomics laboratory of the Bochkov Research Center for Medical Genetics in Moscow. (Ivan Yudin/TASS via Getty Images)

Majorities say scientific research on gene editing is a misuse – rather than an appropriate use – of technology. But public acceptance of gene editing for babies depends on how it will be used, and views often differ by age and religion.