The results of the Science Barometer 2024 show: Austrians’ trust in science and research remains stable. 73 percent of those surveyed say they have a lot of trust in science. The value of those who trust “very strongly” or “strongly” is exactly the same as in 2023. The increase of three percentage points was maintained compared to the first barometer in 2022.
80 percent also believe that research improves our lives. However, interest in science and research has decreased somewhat and people do not feel sufficiently informed. These are the results of the annual survey conducted by the Gallup Institute on behalf of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW).
ÖAW President Heinz Faßmann emphasizes: “Three quarters trust science, we have to fight for a quarter. The majority of people in this country are convinced that science is something good, honest and useful. That’s pleasing. But there is also a clear mandate in the results of the science barometer: people in Austria want more science communication. It is crucial to making scientific findings understandable and accessible to all, communicating the value of evidence-based research and strengthening the dialogue between science and society.”
End of pandemic dampens interest in science
The results in detail:
Despite the positive trust ratings, general interest in scientific topics is declining slightly: within a year it fell by four percentage points and is currently at 56 percent. Pride in the scientific achievements of Austrian researchers has also declined slightly – from 35 percent in 2023 to 29 percent.
The pollsters explain this development primarily with the end of the special phase characterized by the pandemic. During the pandemic, the visibility of science and the population’s engagement with scientific topics increased significantly, but now interest is decreasing again. Another reason for the decrease: in 2022 and 2023, Nobel Prizes were awarded to Austrians for the first time in decades, which was not the case in 2024.
Austria is less skeptical of science than Germany
In a country comparison with Germany, the science barometer for Austria delivers surprisingly positive results. While 73 percent in this country have great trust in science, in Germany it is only 55 percent. The proportion of science skeptics, i.e. those people who decidedly distrust science, is also lower in Austria (5 percent) than in Germany (9 percent).
However, the proportion of those who feel well informed about science and research is similar: 32 percent in Austria and 30 percent in Germany. However, conversely, there are more people in Austria (28 percent) who feel poorly informed than in Germany (17 percent).
Desire for more information about science
The urgency of increased science communication is also made clear in the current science barometer by the high proportion of people in Austria who think it is important to be informed about science and research: 60 percent of the population are of this opinion.
And the question of whether scientists should inform the public about their work was also clearly answered in the affirmative by 80 percent of those surveyed. Even 74 percent of the group of science skeptics want to be informed.
Rejection and little knowledge: Artificial intelligence
The lack of information is also reflected in the fact that the question of whether science and research is changing our lives too quickly has an increased approval rating of 47 percent. In 2023, only 43 percent were of this opinion. When it comes to this question, there are hardly any differences between science supporters and skeptics.
The topic of artificial intelligence (AI) in particular seems to be responsible for this increase among those surveyed. Only 10 percent rate AI very positively. However, 32 percent of the population view developments in this area somewhat or very negatively. Younger people tend to rate AI more positively than older people, but across all age groups there is a large proportion of people who say they do not have sufficient information to form an opinion. For those over 60, this is even 20 percent. In view of the results, a constructive social discussion of the risks and opportunities of AI seems to be more important than ever.
Invest in science communication
Andrea Fronaschütz, management at the Austrian Gallup Institute, also confirms: “Over half of the Austrian population has a high desire for information about science. A well-assessed level of information improves acceptance and trust for a topic. It often involves very specific questions that make it tangible: what relevance do scientifically confirmed results have for my life, in my everyday life, where do I have my own scope for action? During the pandemic, for example, the consequences of one’s own behavior were immediately apparent and interest in scientifically based recommendations for action was particularly high. When it comes to climate change, however, the impact of one’s own contribution is experienced as less immediate; for laypeople, the topic has an unmanageable number of connections and influencing factors. One contribution of science could be to make personally implementable aspects tangible.”
ÖAW President Heinz Faßmann therefore emphasizes: “More innovative ideas and targeted investments in communicating science are needed. The ÖAW has already launched initiatives such as the FÄKT video series, which is aimed specifically at young people and schools. It brings the latest research from all over Austria to social media in a way that is tailored to the curricula, for example on the topics of AI and climate change.”
Another major project is also dedicated to communicating science: the ÖAW, the University of Vienna and the TU Vienna are currently setting up a center for science communication with the support of the BMBWF. From 2027, the Science Communication Center in the Aula der Wissenschaften will be a place of wonder, experience and discourse that will promote cross-generational exchange with science and further increase trust in it.
Method
The ÖAW compiles the science barometer annually. The 2024 Science Barometer was conducted by the Gallup International survey institute. A proven mix of methods was used: 1,000 online surveys (“Computer Assisted Web Interview”) and 500 telephone surveys (“Computer Assisted Telephone Interview”) were carried out in October and November 2024 among people aged 16 and over in Austria. The compilation of the surveyed sample was weighted based on the characteristics of federal state, gender and age in order to achieve the greatest possible representativeness of the Austrian resident population.