For a lot of scientific topics, there’s a big gap between what scientists understand and what the public thinks it knows. For a number of these topics—climate change and evolution are prominent examples—this divide develops along cultural lines, typically religious or political identity. It would be reassuring to think that […] Read more »
CNN poll: Americans’ eclipse viewing plans take shape
About half of Americans (51%) have plans to watch the eclipse of the sun happening across the United States on August 21, according to a CNN poll conducted by SSRS. That figure climbs to 60% among those who live in states touched by the “zone of totality,” where the moon […] Read more »
Republicans are increasingly antagonistic toward experts. Here’s why that matters.
Since 2015, according to a new Pew Research Center poll, Republicans’ attitudes toward colleges and universities have become much more negative. The poll found that the number of Republicans who believe colleges have a “positive impact on the way things are going in the country” dropped from 54 percent in […] Read more »
Views on Power and Influence in Washington
Most Americans say they have too little power in Washington these days, according to a new survey by The AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Three in 4 Americans say they have too little influence in Washington and 76 percent say poor people have too little influence. Majorities say that […] Read more »
58% of Americans believe climate change is mostly human caused
Our most recent nationally representative survey finds that More than half of Americans (58%) believe climate change is mostly human caused. That’s the highest level measured since our surveys began in 2008. By contrast, only 30% say it is due mostly to natural changes in the environment, matching the lowest […] Read more »
Take that chocolate milk survey with a grain of salt
And don’t expect chocolate ice cream, either. Barney Moss, CC BY Lauren Griffin, University of Florida and Troy Campbell, University of Oregon It’s been all over the news lately: a survey by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy suggests that 7 percent of American adults believe chocolate milk comes from […] Read more »