opinion gap: public vs. scientists

A newly published survey shows a significant opinion gap between professional scientists and the wider American public on issues in science ranging from climate change to genetically modified foods.

"There is a disconnect between the way in which the public perceives the state of science and science's position on a variety of issues, and the way in which the scientific community ... looks at the state of science," Alan Leshner, chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, told reporters in advance of the survey's release on Thursday. "That's a cause of concern."

The biggest disconnect had to do with genetically modified foods, where there was a gap of 51 percentage points. Eighty-eight percent of the scientists said it's safe to eat such foods, compared with 37 percent of the wider-ranging sample.

Other opinion gaps focused on these hot-button issues:

• Should animals be used in research? 89 percent of the scientists said yes, as opposed to 47 percent of the public.
• Is it safe to eat foods grown with pesticides? 68 percent of the scientists agreed, compared with 28 percent of the public.
• Is climate change caused mostly by human activity? 87 percent yes from the scientists, 50 percent yes from the public.
• Have humans evolved over time? 98 percent yes from the scientists, 65 percent yes from the public.
• Should more offshore oil drilling be allowed? 32 percent yes from the scientists, 52 percent yes from the public.
• Should more nuclear power plants be built? 65 percent yes from the scientists, 45 percent yes from the public.
• Should parents be allowed to decide not to have their children vaccinated? 13 percent yes from the scientists, 30 percent yes from the public.

The gaps haven't changed dramatically since 2009, the last time a similar survey was conducted, said Cary Funk, the lead author of this week's report and associate director of science research at Pew Research Center.