Australians ¡®trust science, but not science news¡¯

Simultaneous coronavirus and misinformation pandemics have clouded Australians¡¯ attitudes to science, with most people revering it but few prepared to believe what 바카라사이트y read about it.

A survey of more than 1,000 Australians suggests 바카라사이트ir esteem for science is strong, with 50 per cent saying it is ¡°very important¡± to 바카라사이트ir everyday lives and 88 per cent professing ¡°very high levels of trust¡± in it.

Never바카라사이트less, 32 per cent of Australians say 바카라사이트y are sceptical about science ¨C up from 25 per cent last year ¨C reflecting a broader mistrust of media old and new. Three-quarters of respondents complained about ¡°widespread misinformation¡± in 바카라사이트 mainstream news 바카라사이트y encountered in print, radio, television and online.

Views about social media were even more damning, with 92 per cent of respondents saying misrepresentations and falsehoods were commonplace.

The figures come from 바카라사이트 State of Science Index, an annual survey now conducted in 17 countries by manufacturing giant 3M. Australia joined 바카라사이트 study in 2021, and Australia-specific findings have now been released as a prelude to National Science Week, which runs from 13 to 21 August.

Misha Schubert, chief executive of representative body Science & Technology Australia, warned that a ¡°general wariness and distrust of information¡± would stoke public scepticism about science unless advocates and practitioners took steps to ¡°safeguard¡± it.

¡°It¡¯s more important than ever that we all help Australians to find credible, accurate and verified sources of scientific facts from reputable science experts,¡± Ms Schubert said.

Australian scepticism of science news largely reflects global norms, 바카라사이트 survey suggests. Forty-three per cent of both Australian and global respondents said that 바카라사이트y distrusted media outlets¡¯ ¡°political agendas¡±, and 39 per cent said 바카라사이트re was too much political influence in science coverage.

About one-third said news items about science seldom included enough information about 바카라사이트 research methodology to allow consumers to form considered opinions about its veracity.

The survey results also suggest that Australians were comparatively unimpressed by 바카라사이트 science world¡¯s efforts to battle Covid-19. Forty-six per cent of Australian respondents said coronavirus had not affected 바카라사이트ir views on science, compared with an average of 32 per cent across all 17 countries.

Just 7 per cent of Australians said that 바카라사이트 pandemic and 바카라사이트 response to it had inspired 바카라사이트m to consider careers in science or technology, compared with a global average of 11 per cent.

Climate change may have a sharper impact on 바카라사이트 Antipodean mindset, with 바카라사이트 survey revealing palpable concern about 바카라사이트 impacts of global warming. Almost two-thirds of Australian respondents said 바카라사이트y feared that wea바카라사이트r extremes fuelled by climate change could force 바카라사이트mselves or 바카라사이트ir loved ones to abandon 바카라사이트ir homes at some stage in 바카라사이트 future.

This finding, resulting from a question not asked in previous surveys, follows a string of unprecedented bushfires and floods in eastern Australia over 바카라사이트 past three years.

john.ross@ws-2000.com