2018 State of Science Index Summary
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Science matters. It matters to us, because it’s science that fuels 3M’s Vision: technology improving every company, products enhancing every home and innovation improving every life.
But what does the world think of science? Is it recognized and appreciated? Do people see, feel and appreciate its impact? Or are they largely blind to it, unconscious and indifferent to its presence around them? Are they trusting or skeptical of science and scientists? Do they even care?
We couldn’t find the answers, so we conducted our own research to get them. The result is the 3M State of Science Index. Discover what we found out about the image of science, along with revelations and insights from people all over the world.
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Why should we care what people think about science?
If the world is indifferent to science, what are the consequences? Do apathy and skepticism undermine importance and respect for science and the role it plays in society? And could that ultimately impact science as a priority along with future scientific endeavors, funding and research?
These are all reasons why 3M chose to get a pulse on how people feel about science. We know science can improve lives and that we all have something to gain—from society in general, to individual countries and future generations. But if everyday citizens don’t see that, it doesn’t matter what we in the science community believe. Understanding how science is perceived is an important first step to having an informed conversation about this important topic.
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State of Science 2018 Global Report3M State of Science Index 2018 Global Report
You can access The State of Science Index data to see attitudes to science and we invite you to explore insights country-by-country through our explorer tool. We hope you’ll share and discuss the research. What do you think they mean to science today and in the future? For an overview of the combined global results.
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Methodology
3M’s State of Science Index presents original, independent and nationally representative research conducted in 14 countries among the general population. It is one of the largest, most global studies to explore attitudes to science in recent years, and enables 3M to track and benchmark shifts in attitudes about science over time, using this first year as a baseline. Data from this research can be viewed as a 14-country, global average, or individually by country. At the 95 percent confidence level, the margin of error is +/- 0.83 percentage points at the global level and +/- 3.1 percentage points for each individual country. About 1,000 respondents in each of the 14 countries participated in this survey.
What we learned: science matters. Or does it?
Is the world united in a singular view of science?
All over the world, people are intrigued by the idea of science. They recognize and appreciate how science impacts the world on a global scale, and 90 percent say that when they hear the word “science” they feel hopeful versus discouraged (10 percent). But when you dig a little deeper, a more complex story emerges: 38 percent say their lives would not be much different if science didn’t exist, and about a third fall into the science skeptics camp.
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Reach for the stars: are scientists the new celebs?
We asked Americans who they would rather have dinner and a conversation with: Bill Gates, or Taylor Swift? 72 percent chose Bill Gates. And in fact, responses from all countries show that globally, scientists have a slight edge over pop culture icons. 32 percent chose a scientist only, while 27 percent chose a pop culture icon only. Which begs the question, have scientists broken through to celebrity status? We’re in an era where a retired inventor intrigues more Americans than a modern pop icon.
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Science: out of sight, out of mind
Consciousness about “science” and how it impacts the world, is invisible to too many. Nearly four out of 10 (38 percent) people think everyday life wouldn’t be much different if science didn’t exist at all. That’s close to half the population. Less than a quarter believe science has a “completely positive” impact on their everyday lives (22 percent) today. And 66 percent think about the impact of science on their everyday lives only “a little to never”.
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Science supporter or science skeptic?
87 percent of people around the world are fascinated by science rather than bored. Initially, this was encouraging news. As we probed further though, we found that a third (32 percent) are skeptical of science. Negative perceptions and indifference to science among skeptics rippled throughout the survey. For example, 77 percent of skeptics believe science causes just as many problems as solutions, compared to non-skeptics (47 percent). And science skeptics (60 percent) are much more likely to believe that life wouldn’t be much different if science didn’t exist (versus 27 percent of non-skeptics).
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Science: invisible and under-appreciated?
In spite of the universal advantages it affords us—like safety, convenience and interconnectivity—the science we experience in our daily lives is so ubiquitous that we tune it out. While 63 percent recognize science as being “very important” to society, only 46 percent consider science to be “very important” to their own everyday lives. The number shrinks even more among females (only 42 percent think science is very important to their everyday lives vs. 50 percent of males). And, in developed countries, even fewer people consider science to be very important to everyday life, at just 37 percent (compared to 56 percent in emerging countries).
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All eyes on the next generation
Have you ever heard a friend say they wish they’d chosen a different career? It turns out most (54 percent) of the global adult population don’t regret pursuing a non-science career. Conversely, that means nearly half of us wish we had pursued a career in science. When it comes to the next generation though, adults are aligned: 82 percent say they would “encourage kids to pursue a career in science”. Why? Adults may be placing responsibility for solving future problems on the next generation; or, perhaps they view a career in science as a smart choice that brings increased stability and economic security to the next generation. Either way, the next generation acts as a unifier when it comes to science sentiment across the globe, regardless of whether they are a science supporter or a science skeptic.
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The future: magical or mundane?
When it comes to the future of science, optimism reigns supreme. 66 percent of adults describe tomorrow’s scientific impact on society as “exciting” and 62 percent believe the best days of science lie ahead. Many of us believe in seemingly mythical innovations, such as flying cars or undersea living. Young adults (18-34) are particularly convinced: almost six in ten (58 percent) believe flying cars will happen in their lifetime, versus 51 percent across the survey population.
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Conclusion: science needs a champion
Insights from the State of Science Index leads 3M to the conclusion that while attitudes to and feelings about science are complex, science needs a champion. While 87 percent of adults claim to be fascinated by science rather than bored, the study reveals staggering skepticism and indifference to science around the world too. 3M hopes the State of Science Index will provoke a national conversation about science and its important role in the world. We think there’s an opportunity for all of us in the science community to inspire people to be more conscious of the science around them, and to connect the dots between science and the impact it has on their everyday life. To that end, we’ve convened some of the brightest minds in the field for a podcast series discussing issues related to global perception of science. “Insights from this data paint a compelling picture of the perceptions of science around the world,” said Jayshree Seth, a Corporate Scientist and Chief Science Advocate (CSA) at 3M. “We don’t have all the answers, but the first step is to understand feelings toward science. The next step is to give this original research to the public to help identify more trends. I’m humbled to be named 3M’s CSA and look forward to hearing what people think of the State of Science Index.” We hope this information inspires recognition of how the image, impact and expectations of science are perceived across the world. We invite enthusiasts to use these insights to talk about the gaps we in the science community need to fill, and to do your bit toward championing science. Discover a few of the most interesting things we learned from the State of Science Index survey explorer.
