Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
While wind and solar power are still popular overall, Americans have become less supportive of these sources since the first Trump administration. This shift has been driven by sharp declines in support among Republicans.
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Among U.S. social media users, 45% of Gen Z adults have interacted with content that focuses on the need for action on climate change.
In 2020 alone, the coronavirus was responsible for about 380,000 deaths and roughly 5.5 million years of lost life in the United States.
No more than half of Americans say they think solar geoengineering and cloud seeding would make a difference in reducing the effects of climate change.
Among Republicans, support for increasing reliance on solar power is down from 84% last year to 73% today.
A small but significant share of car owners in the U.S. have traded filling up for plugging in, and many more are thinking of joining them.
Majorities of Americans support an array of measures to address climate change but stop short of a full break with fossil fuels.
Majorities of Americans say the federal government, businesses and other actors are doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change.
The share of Americans viewing illegal immigration as a ‘very big’ problem has increased.
Black and Hispanic workers remain underrepresented in STEM jobs compared with their share of the U.S. workforce.
The higher education pipeline suggests a long path is ahead for increasing diversity, especially in fields like computing and engineering.
Public views are tied to how these technologies would be used and what constraints would be in place.
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.
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.
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.
