Scientific News and Scientific Articles Capture the Imagination of Scientists and Inventors

Scientific news and scientific articles are a part of the daily lives of many people. They capture the imaginations of scientists and inventors. This interest is also shared by a wide cross-section of the general public. A recent survey by the Pew Research Center found that one in six Americans regularly consume science news. Those who are active science news consumers tend to have a higher income, are more educated, and engage in science-related hobbies.

The survey questioned a nationally representative sample of 4,024 adults about their engagement with science-related entertainment. Of those who said they watch science-related television programs and films, more than eight in ten report watching science-related programming and more than four in ten report engaging in scientific-themed conversations. Similarly, more than three in ten report regularly reading and discussing science-related content in print, online, or through social media. But fewer than a third say they think social media is important for getting science news. Additional info found at vísir

While a small but active group of science news consumers exists within the general public, fewer Americans are regularly relying on specialty sources for science news. These sources include science magazines, science and technology museums, and documentaries. However, most Americans aren’t aware that these specialty sources are accurate, even though some minorities believe that each of these sources is accurate more than half of the time.

While many science news consumers have a tendency to rely on science magazines, science-related websites, and documentaries for their information, a larger portion of Americans rely on general news outlets. Approximately half of Americans report getting at least some science news from general news outlets, and another 28% say the same about family and friends. Among those who get at least some science news from general news outlets, 57% report that the content of the articles is accurate. Science magazines are considered to be the most accurate source of science news among those who get at least some of their information from general sources.

For more information about science news consumption, the Pew Research Center conducted an analysis of the most popular ways people get science news. Among those who are actively engaged in science-related activities, a greater proportion are interested in citizen science research projects. Some of these are participating in hackathons, collecting data samples, or contributing to online crowdsourcing. It is estimated that roughly one in six Americans have participated in citizen science research activities.

A third of science news consumers follow social media accounts related to science. While some social media users say that they get a lot of science news from their social media accounts, only a quarter say that they see “a lot” of science posts. Despite these findings, a majority of science news consumers report that they see a variety of science-related content on their social media accounts. In addition, a majority of science news consumers say that they are more likely to interact with others about their science news than other topics.