Do Americans Think the Country Is Losing or Gaining Ground in Science?
Democrats and Republicans both think it is important that the U.S. is a world leader in science, but most Democrats now think it is losing ground compared with other countries.
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Advanced Economies Report Lowest Deprivation
While people in advanced economies are most bearish about their economic situation, they report very low levels of deprivation relative to others around the world, including people in emerging nations who are more positive and optimistic about economic conditions. Reports of deprivation are closely related to national wealth. For example, in Australia, Canada and Germany […]
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Public’s Knowledge of Science and Technology
Report About eight-in-ten Americans (83%) identify ultraviolet as the type of radiation that sunscreen protects against. Nearly as many (77%) know that the main concern about the overuse of antibiotics is that it can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, only about half (51%) of the public knows that “fracking” is a process that extracts natural […]
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Majority Now Supports Legalizing Marijuana
Report For the first time in more than four decades of polling on the issue, a majority of Americans favor legalizing the use of marijuana. A national survey finds that 52% say that the use of marijuana should be made legal while 45% say it should not. Support for legalizing marijuana has risen 11 points […]
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Broad Support for Keystone XL Pipeline
Two-thirds of Americans (66%) favor building the pipeline, which would transport oil from Canada’s oil sands region through the Midwest to refineries in Texas.
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AI and Human Enhancement: Americans’ Openness Is Tempered by a Range of Concerns
Public views are tied to how these technologies would be used and what constraints would be in place.
Science and Scientists Held in High Esteem Across Global Publics
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.
Americans Largely Favor U.S. Taking Steps To Become Carbon Neutral by 2050
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.
Biotechnology Research Viewed With Caution Globally, but Most Support Gene Editing for Babies To Treat Disease
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.
