The Science People See on Social Media
Science-related Facebook pages draw millions of followers but feature more posts with ‘news you can use’ or ads than scientific discoveries
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Americans interested in the environment are the most likely to feel civic obligation to follow science news
While there are many reasons that Americans get science news, the most common driver of attention to science news is curiosity, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center study. But people are also motivated to seek out science news for different reasons depending on the issues they care about most, with the environment being a prime example.
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Most Americans get their science news from general outlets, but many doubt their accuracy
Where do Americans go to stay informed about science topics? Here are some key takeaways about Americans’ science news habits today.
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Science News and Information Today
Overall, 36% of Americans get science news at least a few times a week and three-in-ten actively seek it. Most get science news from general news outlets, but more see specialty sources as being accurate.
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People concerned about GM foods are particularly skeptical of information from food industry
Many Americans are distrustful of information provided by the food industry on GM foods, and those who are concerned about GM food issues are especially skeptical.
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Most Americans take conflicting food studies in stride
While a majority of Americans encounter conflicting news stories about food and healthy eating, most see it as a sign of continued progress in food science.
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The art and science of the scatterplot
This type of chart is growing more popular, but just half of those with a high school education or less correctly interpreted one in our science quiz.
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The race gap in science knowledge
When asked a series of 12 science-related questions, whites, on average, fared better than blacks or Hispanics. What’s behind this knowledge gap?
