Cary Funk

When Americans are asked why more students don’t pursue a degree in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM), they are most likely to point to the difficulty of these subjects, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. About half of adults (52%) say the main reason young people don’t pursue STEM degrees is they think these subjects are too hard.

Women in STEM jobs are more likely than their male counterparts to have experienced discrimination in the workplace and to believe that discrimination is a major reason there are not more women in STEM.

About four-in-ten working U.S. women say they have faced discrimination on the job because of their gender. They report a broad array of personal experiences.

Women in the U.S. are substantially more likely than men to say gender discrimination is a major problem in the technology industry.

Many Americans are exposed to science through TV and movies, and they come away with a positive impression of working in science, technology and medicine.

Where do Americans go to stay informed about science topics? Here are some key takeaways about Americans’ science news habits today.

Overall, 36% of Americans get science news at least a few times a week and three-in-ten actively seek it. Most get science news from general news outlets, but more see specialty sources as being accurate.

The U.S. public has mixed views on using gene editing to reduce babies' risk of serious diseases, with parents of children younger than 18 especially wary.

People’s level of science knowledge helps to a degree to explain their beliefs about climate and energy issues, but it depends on their partisanship.