Americans remain cautious about scientists’ involvement in public policymaking, according to a new survey, which shows that overall trust in scientists has ticked up slightly this year, but it still falls far short of pre-pandemic levels.
The erosion of public trust in scientists in the aftermath of COVID-19 has barely recovered, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in late October and published on Nov. 14.
The research shows that 76 percent of Americans express a great deal or a fair amount of confidence in scientists acting in the public’s best interests. While this marks a modest increase from 73 percent a year ago, it remains well below the 87 percent recorded just before the onset of the pandemic in April 2020….